The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-04-15
THE EVENING STORY
A Widow and a Horse.
(By Carl Jenkins.)

when the event took place.
Elder Parker did not countenance
dancing. He looked upon a fiddle as
an invention of Satan. He argued that
no man should go beyond a single
glass of sweet cider. He classed
checkers as gambling. He thought
a candy pull was the beginning of the
downward road. When a boy sat on
the steps of the church and whistled
topical air the elder chased and
caned him.
1t was the elders severity in one
direction and his laxity in another that
puzzled people. He owned and drove
the fastest stepping horse in the town
When out on the road he passed ev-
erything on four legs. They said it
was far worse to own a trotting horse
than it was to go to the candy pull
and kiss the girls but the elder refus-
ed to argue the matter.
What was the matter with the good
man, although he himself did not Sus-
pect it, was that away back among his
ancestors-clear back to Miles Stand
ish, and perhaps to William the Con-
queror-was game old sport who
couldn't be bluffed. A drop or two of
his blood had come along down to the
elder. 1t made him a horse sport. He
could keep his trotter off the race
track, but he couldn't hold him in on
the road.
The Widow Holmes was a new
conner. She had farm about two
miles from town and she drove in
about twice week on errandS. The
horse she drove was a bay gelding,
six years old, with a white star in his
face, and he had knee motion to
beat the band. When the widow
came to town she was not annoyed by
men gazing at her. Her horse occu-
pied all their attention.
1t happened just at this time that
Elder Parker had to make journey
to Wisconsin and stay for some weeks,
but he heard about the widow and her
h Tn o1% h toll I1of he
might as well sell his stopper for the
best price he could get, for he was no
longer king of the highway.
'Oh, he isn't, Ell ?'' shifted the elder
when he read the letter. "Got a new
widow and a new horse, have they?"
1 The drop of the sporting blood was
waking up. 1t caused the elder to cut
short his visit by several days, though
he wouldn't have owned it even to
himself for hundred dollars, 1t was
one of his fellow church members that
said to him when he returned home:
well, elder, we are all anxious1y
waiting"
ITO hear about the west?' was
asked.
ooh, no. We want to see which is
the best horse?
There are those who say that you
must keep off the Red Bridge road
or you will have to swallow the dust
of a better horse
for a jockey?" was demanded.
"Of course not but you have been
driving the fastest horse in the coun-
try and
"Why-why-'
'.And what if continue to drive the
fastest horse in the country"
There was no reply to that, but 1t
was generally agreed that the ques-
ton of speed would be settled before
many days. That is, no one knew
what the Widow Holmes would do,
but she didn't look like woman that
would permit anybody to raise cloud
of dust in front of her.
After he had been home three or
four days the elder began to jog his
horse, but on another road. The |
stopper wanted limbering up, but II
not to beat the WIDOWS horse' IoA
what then?
one morning the good man was
seen to take the Red Bridge road. Not |
a word did he say and not a look dld |
he look, but hundred men realized |
what was on the taps. It was one
of the days when the widow was sure
to come to town. In wagons, buggles
and on foot, the men began to stream |
Rv and by the elder came jogging |
back from up the road.
"Hev. elder, is there going to be |
racer"
The look on the good mans face |
was childlike and bland when he |
turned about and logged the other
way. and there was low murmur-
ing of the crowd. The widows rig
was in sight far away. The elder had
gone up the road a mile before ne
encountered her He didn't bow: she
didn't look at him. He passed and
then turned about. She settled down
and got a firmer grip on the lines,
SHE'D a bit to the left to give him a
fair half of the road, and his step
per came trottings up. No word was
given to go, but for thirty rods 1t was
an even race. Then the elders horse
began to gain. and his owner began
of fifty feet when the widow uttered
a cluck like a pullet. The gap was
closed in five seconds, and in another
five the lead had changed When the
mile was up the elder was way back
in the dust cloud
you see,' he said when he ar
rived, addressing both the crowd and
the widow, lit takes a mile or so TO
warm this horse up.
Mrs Holmes bowed and turned her
rig about and trotted back to the
starting point. The elder had got the
hit in his mouth as we'll as his horse,
and principles were forgotten thing
for the moment. 1t was fair start,
but he wasn't in it. In the mile he
was beaten ten lengths.
The next day he was caller at
the widows farm Her horse couldn't
be bought nor dickered for, but he
found the woman pleasant and genial.
He came again and again, always
having the horse an excuse, and
in the course of time it began to be
talked about that counting was going