MOLLY'S FIRST AND ONLY RACE.

Otago Witness, Issue 2467, 26 June 1901, Page 54

MOLLY'S FIRST AND ONLY RACE.

It was on a balmy June afternoon in a little Massachussetts town that hard-fisted, miserly, rich old Gerard Braman walked into Farmer Josh Middleton's farmyard, where he was kuiily stacking salt hay. The farmer saw his approach and liis usually ruddy countenance whitened.

"You know that you owe me lOOOdol on this plaos, Middleton. and that it has been overdue for more'n two months. Now, I've got a chance- to sell the place for a snug sum that'll leave you a. few dollars, and why not do it? Yon well know that yoii can't pay it-" Great drops, of perspiration atood on Middleton's foreheajd ac he slowly straightened Wa ang-ular form and looked' the miser fullin the face.

"Yes, I know I owe you lOQOdol, Gerard Bra-man, and. goodness knows, I wish_ I didn't. But the place'll never be sold with my consent. Why, man, it would break mother's heai-t. Don't you know all our girls and boys wtiz born here, an' we've only got John left out of the- se~en? No, G*?ard Braman, the good Lord'll- pervide some way For hw to save our old home- if ye-'ll only give me a little time." "Tut, maul" replied Branaan. "Your crops have failed this year on account of the drought, and where under heavens can you look -for a dollar to conic from,- I r d lite lo know?"

This was a staggerer for Middleton, as he knew that hia relentless creditor was only telling the truth.

"You might possible sell the mare Molly for a couple of hundred dollars*."' went on Braman. "I don't know but I would give it IBVSC-lf."

Ihis touched Middleton in a sensitive part. for the mare was the idol of the family. She

wa? possessed of a arreat burst of speed, but had never be-^n trained except an occasional trial on the road for shoil distances, when s=he invariably left her competitors far in the rear. "Much obleeg^d, ilr Braman, but Molly'li ncvei leave the tarm till we all go together. I raised her from a baby, an' she's got a warm place in old Josh Middleton's heart. Why, she'd die from homesickness, if she wenr where she missed the apples and little sweetmeats we gives her. Any part of the farm where she can hear my call she'll answer an' come like a streak o' dark Ughtnin'."'

At thai moment Jim drove into the yard with the mare hitched to a rickety old waggon. Her nostrils were well open, and the thin pointed ears, narrow muzzle, wide forehead, long barrel, thin, flat, bony legs, ani long, sweeping tail besr>oke the inheritance of some pure- well-bred strain in her blood. "Been racin' agin, John?" asked Middleton,, as he fondly eyed his pet and stroked her nose softly.

"Yes, dad. Y'see, I was ooinin' down the turnpike when Mr Dexter, thet rich man from out west, pulled out on u& with his trotter, thet Bill Jenkins sez he paid a thousan' dollar* for. As it was a good stretch I let Molly go, and we beat him all holler; didn't we, Molly?"

• ■ ,n "v/nHdiptou. I'll give you until the 25th day of July to pny me in full, and not a uay monger, j. mean interest and principal. Don't forget it."

As Braman left the yard Mr Dexter drove in, having followed John home.

•'Good afternoon. . Mr Middleton, I suppose?" "That's my name, as some calls me, but I like Josh better. What can I do .for you?" said the farmer. "I have a horse here with a record of 2min 15aec, fOi. which I paid a considerable sum of money. Now, as your mare can lleai him so easily I want to buy her. Name your pries, and make it enough, as I mean to have her."

"Mi Dexter, when you drove in here, the man who left at the fame time- I owe a thousand dollars to. besides sonic interest, and if I can't pay him on the 25' h day of July, interest 'md principal, -away goes oar home and' everything with it — and h« — 1-e — wanted to buy Molly, but I can't sell hr-r, I can.*t sell her — it's ao use."

"I'll nnv your mortgage in full to-morrow, Mr Middleton, if you'll give a. bill of sale ot the mare to me when I hand you. the papers," said the visitor, watching Molly with an admiring ,eye. This offer made Middleton hold his breath. Here was a chance to get out of his old enemy's clutches and save bis home. Back and forth the old man paced, while John wast crying like a baby at the thougkt of parting with his old companion.

Just as the farmer had about mada up his mind to ea>y "yes," the mare, whinnied and rubbed her nose against his already moistened cheek. That settled it. Thro,7in^ his bared brown arm around her neck and patting it fondly, he replied.:

"You've offered more'n ■ she-s wuth, MDexter, but I can't part with hec r - an' I must trust to some other way of getting out of my trouble with Mr Braman."

The affection exhibited for the intelligent, auimal touched the wealthy Chieagoan. "Wben he saw that Middleton would, socner face the mortgage th^in seE his pet, he knew that she was- not for salei ' . • * Mr Dexter, after a few moments of dfeep thought, made a proposition, to the farmer, the result of which found the -three men and tlie marc, at the half-mile trac'i in a townnear by ou the afternoon of the following day. A .>ulky was procured by Mr Dexter, and the mare was given three full miles under the wa*ch in. time that cawed a smilo to settle over the westerner's face, but he kept whatever pleased him to himself. In a few days a.- nice bicycle sulky and handsome pair of feather-weight quarter toots, with a rplendid racing harness, arrived from Bopton, and tinder Mr Dexter's experienced eye the mare was daily trained the next, week.

It was the day of the great M. and M. stake race in a large city in the west, where the winner would receive about 6000dol. There were over 30' entries in. this, the greatest trotfing race of tke yean, and every hor?e but one was from the stables of wellknown men.

The jockeys and rubbers, a? well as the o-wners, were asking themselves who Josk Middleton was and hi& mare Molly. It was found that a nomination had been purchased from a party whose entry was- unfit to start, but there the information ended.

Mr Dexter had faith enough in the mare to purchase c. nomination for her in the great race. as welL as to pay the expenses of John and the mare on the trip.

Thoueands Upon thousands of people filled the great enclosure upon the day af the race. Pools were' sold up* into the thousands, with ■the unknown, mare in- the field for a eong, as twu horses of- world-wide reputation were hot selling fatvourites. Ms Dexter had secured a well-known, driver to pilot the more, but two heats with. Molly jus? inside- the- flag changed his mind. Dexter had bought the fieM heavily, ac he was sure of the gamenesH of the mare, but he' saw that a-' new driver had made her nervous, and that ske was not acting like herself. Giving John careful instuctions about rulea, he b:iw him get on the sulky with some trepidation, fearing the boy's inexperience would rount against him* The two ftvouxites. were leading, at the half-mile pole, well clear of the bunch, when a dark streak was seen to creep out. of the aiasa and join the lead-era,.- mho* had. gone the half in lmin 4£sec. A blanket might have covered the three- as they swung into the home stretch, coming back witn- the speed of t.he wind, ■ - ,i

John had taken th.c eut&ide- position, and. moving like a "pieee-j o{ raftehinery, Molly swept undei the wire a? goad winner by a neck.

Dsxter and his friends k .whona he had let into the- secret,, carried John bodily to the stable in. their arms, and with coats off worked on the mare? until she was thoroughly cooled out and re&fced. Tha betting public were all at sea, but while, aoaae of them, placed their money on. the unknown, horse the next heat, the most of them, stuck to tkcii; favouriles-.

After John Middleton had told Dexter and bis friend privately aftei the heat that he had not driven Molly out to her utmost, they placet? eve?y dollar on Middleton's pet. The fourth heat saw tl_e mare take the pole, and with all the jockeying tricks known played against her. Ske kept it to the finish in, the fast time of 2ruin 9-ipec.

Molly waf now an even favourite in the pools, and miiuy.were hedging on the mare to retrieve their lost fortunes. .T'ohn was wild with delight and hugged and kis=sed thcniare as though, she uiideostood it all, and to the bystanders she appeared to* DexLciv not liking the tricks played

against the mare, told John to drive the mare out on the next heat, and shut out everyone he possibly could, to pay them for their meanness. This instruction was followed to the letter.

A quarter in 30sec, half in lmin 2_sec, disposed of most of them, and when the handsome unknown bay mare from the east swept under the wire with only one horse inside the distance flag in 2min 6sec flat, a mighty shout went up from the multitude, and a costly blanket of beautiful flowers was placed on Molly as she was led away by Dexter and his friends, while John was so delighted he could scarcely contain himself. When Mr Dexter handed John a certified cheque for 20,0Q0d01, being his earnings and contributions from admiring friends, tears of joy fell upon the kind westerner's hand, and Mr Dexter kissed Molly a fond farewell as she started on her homeward trip from her first and only race, as nothing would prevail -upon the farmer to either sell or race he* again. — Washington Post.