The Washington herald., 1912-10-06
By l.. ID. SALE.
Berka.
2:l41-4;
Alcyne,
2sl41-4


e:l41-4;
Alcyne,
2:141-I
On a half-mile track, far from fast
makes mighxy pleasant reading to mer
who are interested in Washington's hgh'
harness horses; and incidentally, to mer
who take pride in seeing the Nationa
Capital well to the front in light harness
matters. In the great world OF sport
Washington never stood as high as sh'
does to-day. Her baseball team mas
made, the present season, a gallant
struggle for first honors. and landed
next to the top; her light harness horses
are steadily progressing toward the 2:t
mark, and, with good track. may reacf
1t before snow flies
ssss
Berka trotted to her record OF 2;H l.
at Allentown. Pa. Saturday week, and
paced to that mark with Alcyne. Botn
mares won in straight heats over a fast
field. The published account Of the race
shows that Berka trotted the first heat
of her race in s:I7. the second in PA II,
and her third heat in the same time Al
cyne paced her first heat in 2:l5 IL, her
second in 2:l5 IA. and her third heat In
a:1sl-I. It was not until Saturday that
the Allentown track was mt to race over
owing to the rain of the week The
track must have been more or less lumpy
and holding and II Is fair to presume
that both mares could. il compelled TO
do so. have performed over the track
from two to three seconds faster II
the footing had been better to their lik-
ing There can be no question that
Rerka and Alcyne are very close right
now to being 2:lo performers.
II is conceded by all authorities that a
half-nlile ring. in its best estate, Is from
two to three seconds slower than mile
one. When this distance Of time be-
tween tracks is measured. one comes
very closely to the speed possessed in a
race by the two mares. Berka's record.
made as a two-year-old. was 2:27 L. at
the beginning of the present season
Within the past six weeks sne mas
steadily lowered her record thirteen ana
seconds, and when she strikes
the track at Richmond, Va, this month.
she should, II the track is fast. easily
trot one heat at least in 2:f0. The mare
has never been saved up in a single
race in which she has appeared the pres
ent season, as far as winning Is con-
cerned. Mr. John Morris, her owner. de-
cided early that she should get all that
was coming to her, IL she took rec
ord Of two minutes. What Berka may DO
In 1913 is problematical; but she has Just
as good a right to trot in 2:06 Ia as Ber-
gen, or in 2:o5 IA as Baden. her brother
In blood.
According to a more or less authen-
tic report received just as we go to
press. the staid citizens Of Georgetown
in the vicinity of Michael Norris DOM
iciIe were reused from their midnight
by a series of discordant sounds.
Heads were hastily thrust from windows
adjacent to the scene. and the police and
fire departments were about to be sum-
moned. when, on closer inspection. 1t
was discovered that the harsn notes EN-
anated from the parched throat Of Aus
tin Lotus, who imagined he was treat
Ing Mr.. Morris twho, as usual, was not
at home) with the ancient Irist. ballao-
old enough to wear whiskers-"The Hat
Me Father Wore Remonst rated with.
he waved his impromptu audience good
but not good-by. and. as
an encore. as he was leaving. began to
sing . few bars of another old song.
slightly altered to fit the occasion. "Just
Tell Norris That You Saw Me, and That
I Was Feeling Fine Sweeter singers
have lived than Austin, and. II We mis-
take not. some of them are still alive
And this incident reminds us that Mr..
Morris has bask In his stable the good
sorrei geiding Koroni, and win attempt
to keep him In good condition for his
campa4Gn In 1&la In which he win be
u .N