East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1911-09-14

for first place and the white race trailing along in the dust, Just to
show them that | didn't care [ got on my feet and yelled for Diana
Brown until a man iammed my hat down over my mouth and stopped
Of course the ANTON girl was the first on the second lap and Jump
ing from her running horse before he had stopped, ierked her saddle
ioff, threw it on the waiting relay, mounted and was off again in rec
ord time.
"Hey, tenderfoot, go help your slick ear" One of the John Day
bunch on the top row called to me. In her haste Diana had tipped on
@stay With it, Diana, I yelled Get up and 90 to it"
She did, all right She was a gritty little "booger" and when she.
did get that relay 8addled she made him 90 some. | noticed now that
her riding was less like the E 9i3 senlenan's and more like a Cay;
her lower jaw was set rather tight.
At the second change when Diana got ratified and threw her saddle
the crowd began to have considerable real fun with me. The ANTON
girl and Pocatello Jane were quarter of the way around the track be-
wanted to with me but I don't think they should take it out on the it
tic girl who was at least doing the best she could. All the Anglo-Saxon
blood in me boiled when they hurled things at her as she dashed past
the grand stand. -
"one hundred dollars even money on the white race against the
breeds" | shouted, standing on my feet and waving my purse in their
For second it looked like there would be a riot in that grand stand,
and telling me to eat that.
Isat down and collected my normal senses in time to see them come
first place. 1 had never entertained any serious expectation of my ia
yorite winning the race but tit was Just a mad whim, or fancy, or idea
mistaken I had been [ felt rather blue.
Hey, tenderfoot, get your slick ear a step ladder" the John Day
And I thought they were about right for Diana could scarcely
throw the saddle onto the back of the big black horse which she was to
ride in the last relay My heart sunk within me as she snapped the
grt and [ mentally concluded it was all off with the white race, for
she could never reach her foot to the stirrup. And to make matters
worse the big black would not stand still. He pranced and leaped into
the air and tossed his head from side to side. He was long and lank,
his body slim, his shoulders broad and tapering and his neck long.
The breeds were off first as usual and the ANTON girl had the race
just as good as won when Diana reached up and caught the saddle
horn with both hands. As the black felt her throw her weight on the
horn he tossed his head to one side, flung the helper into the dust
and leapng into the air shot down the track with the girl cinging to
the horn, her toes training in the dust.
"Sop him! Stop him p yelled the grand stand in fright. Women
screamed and men closed their eyes to the inevitable tragedy.
But it was too late, there was no help, no hope of stopping the met
tied steed as he caught the spirit of the fight and ran for al. that was
in him. | felt a shudder of horror pass through that mass which a
moment ago had been Sc gay and thoughtless, and then there came
a tense, gripping stiffness, a silence in which you could hear the faint
est breath. With open mouths and widseves that crowd saw the 1.-THE
OF the girl begin to rise and fall beside the running horse, in long
graceful leaps As the big black heightened himself out, his belly close
to the ground, his nose pointed straight forward, the girl began MAX
ing the long running jumps by his side, each time as she sprang from
her toes her body rising higher and higher until finally she threw her
feet forward, gripped the saddle horn harder if possible, caught the full
of her own weight and the momentum of the running horse
on her heels and rebomded high into the air where her slim
lay stretched out over the horses back like an eagle lowering
over its prey. then dropped lightly into the saddle.
\ deep breath from the grand stand, and then
Tile flying mount" burst in a hoarse roar from dry, parched
Threats as the tension suddenly broke. Then stood up and yelled.
l don't really know what happened after that. / have a faint rec
election of seeing a black streak pass the opposite stretch of track,
dash under the wire and star. around again, of the cattleman slappine
me on the shoulders and yelling in my ear something about it being
two hundred. I was too busy voicing my iubilation at the tri-
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