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The Clinton News-Record, 1898-02-24, Page 2HOW t1C WON HER gallery, too, this tale o! "a ride for side of the course, hie immediate at- niat had already divined that, and as Ilowever, Bourton decided that he e hrld(r" excited great interest, and tendanta being a horse called Game- they camp toward it, Diclt sudd4nly be- could depend upon Thomas to bring tnany of them insisted on their male cock, and two or three others, the came conscious that Greasen was bor- Teetotum home all safe, as soot} as she I belongings immediately investing oft Teetotum in their behalf. Consider- " No you won't, Squire," sneered ing bospitably among themselves flat able curioeltY was manifested to see Miss Bourton, but in this at present, Gregson ; " if you did they would say atone bottles of beer or strong waters. they were not destined to be gratified, not being able to nobble the horse, yott Kitty comes down that morning in for although I{des Nae sitting but little had nobbled the jockey." her bravest array. and trying to put or oft many of those ladies who v You thundering thief !" said Wat. on her bravest and sunniest face. She were anxious to see her ,she was ut• era, ieetween his set teeth, but at the is not naturally nervous, but she is wrre an i os t and h rre was asnute same time rLsognizing the truth con- etrung to such a p'tch of c.ensinn on' quently no one to point her out. rained in the grinning jockey's re- this occasion that she has the greatest The two•"preliminary races uta over, mark. difficulty in concealing now terribly and then Dick whispers to her: "Come along, Kitty, you must Dome down to give Teetotum a last pat. and see me fairly into the saddle." The girl rose in reply to bis remark, followed him, silently down the stair- case. and then, taking his arm, the pair made their way across to the pad- dock. There were a good many people collected there when they entered it. but they bad very little difllculty in finding the group of which they were In search. and having handed hie flan- oee over to her father Dick made the best of h1.. way back to the stand for It was quite true ; he had no valid pretext for assaulting Gregson, while it would be quite open for people to sa.y that he Irid wilfully disabled the jockey at the last moment so as to lea\ • Messrs. Moore and Reubens with- out a rider for 'Todhunter. " 1':1 settle with you when the race is over," he continued. and turning on his heel walked sharply up the yard. " Yes," muttered Gregson, as he looked atter him, "it's likely enough. Mr. Waters, you and your• lot will have a pretty full account against me then ; but I shan't be such a fool as to put myself in your• way, and give you a chance of settling it." As Waters reached the top of the yard he met Joe Bourton. " It's all very well," he remarked, " but it's high time you came down here. There's not a sign of Thomas, and there's that fellow Gregson hang- ing about your stable." Don't you fuss yourself," replied Bourton; " it's all right, I'll pound it. Come along, I'll show you where to find Thomas," and Bourton made his way to the small stable, consisting of a loose box and a couple of stalls which had been set apart for him. He knock- ed sharply at the door once or twice, and then, to Waters' astonishment, it was quietly opened by Thomas, and they both entered the stable. " Mare all right ?" inquired Bourton. " Quite, sir," replied the groom. "She is a queer thing, and all'ays pines for company in a strange place. She fidgeted a little at first, but she's quiet enough now I've come to sleep in the etable." ' ' That's well ; have her down at the race -course at 8 o'clock to -morrow. Mr. Colston will give her a bit of a gallop. WatPra. "Don't talk o! such a thing, Good night." ' Good night, sir," replied Thomas, why T expect to aee your name win in as he closed the door and once more the commonest. canters: but mind you locked himself fn with his charge. Diels, keep your eye nn that beggar " There," said Bourton, as they walk- Grei son. that pervious scoundrel means ed back to the hotel. " Don't you think mischief of some sort. T don't know Thomas is to be trusted now ? I rec- what• but I believe .the this! to be iron neither Gregson nor anybody else eanhe of any enormity." will try to meddle with the mare whip+ The babel of the betting ring lead he !a there" already commenced when they arrived Mr. Waters made no reply, but be- on the course. The clear March air took himself to his bed, much coin• was resonant with the fierce war cry forted, of the fielders : "The Liveenool steep - shaken her nerves are. She has passed a sleepless night. and only that her lover was pre -occupied in thinking over the business before him, and dis- cussing over and over again with Joe Bourton and Bob Waters what would be his best tactics in the race, Dick must have noticed it: but the girl pulls herself together in the marvellous way women do under such pressure, •end though she looks very pale, she Is outwardly calm and, smil- ing. How she wishes it was all over! She feels now as if she cared little what won if she only knew that her Dick was unhurt. Still she feels it would never do to show that: she must continue to display the greatest an- xiety for Teetotum's success. and pre- tend to think that an accident to Dick is not to be thought of. It had been agreed that they should get down to the course in good time. Mr. Waters was anxious to know how thfnge were going in the netting ring. Joe+ Bourton thought he should like to take thorough stock of all the com- petitors before the race, and they all agreed that it was necessary they should be established in their seats comfortably before the preliminary business of saddling, etc.. took place for the Grand National. "Needn't stick to 'em, you know," said Bob 'Waters ; "but we can just leave an odd wrap or two in our stalls to show they are approprlatt d." "Well, Mr. Bourton," said Dick, "we can neve,. make the mare more tit than sho is now. and if she'll only run with me to -day as she has gone with me in Hampshire, if we are beat it will he simply because we're "not good enough." "Beat !" ejaculated the impetuous There was quite a little crowd on lechase, P11 bet upon, here'e five to one Liverpool race -course, a little after against the favorite," "long odds some Ilght the next morning, to see the con- of these outsiders," and similar cries petitors for the big race of the next rang sharp and shrill in their ears as day, Most of_ these were present. and they WPP+. nn to. _their places on tFie did more or less work as'seemed good stand. in. -the eyes of their respective trainers. 'Having duly taken possession of M ssrs. Moore and Reuben's pair, their stalls, Waters announced his in- as might be expected, came in for the lion's share of attention. O]d Tod - hunter was pronounced to look. won- derfully well, and ,as he took a good half -speed gallop with Gregson in the saddle, many good judges said that in spite of the weight the old horse would be very had to beat the next day. "I'll tell you what It is," said a veteran sportsman whose memory tra- velled back over Grand Nationals, "if Defiance, whom I haven't seen yet, is only as well as Todhuntiit•, then upon the public form, in my opinion, it should be a match between the two old 'uns ; but then, of course, we've got to consider these three or four dark horses. Now, if Catamount is our mare, and, whereas she looks as bett at the weights ,than Todhunter, tf she could carry another etone withe it s ould, bar accidents, be all over v inc nvenience that brute looks ae o t o but shouting. There's a good deal of if lie had quite enough• to do to carry uncertainty about steeplechasing, but his saddle round the course with no - this :.cams a good thing for the fa- body to !It. ' vorite, If ever there was one." Cataiat."t was by no means so bad " So his owners seem to think by a looking horse as Mr. Hanway inade the way the money has gone down out, but •when men have hacked a horse upon him. I am told that Messrs, in a race it is only natural that they Moore and Reubena will win about the should have a tendency to pick holes iggest stake that ever was landed In those that promise to be his roost •ever a Grand National if Catamount dangerous rivals Catamount was un - ins. Ah ! here he comes, what do douhtedly ratl}er a light horse, one you' think of him ?" thnt would give but little promise of As he spoke a chestnut horse with doing well under a heavy weight, or if :c white blaze on his face swept past the ground were deep, but he was not them, called upon to combat either of those " A very pretty mover," repited the conditions, and as the veteran sports - first speaker, " and fit as hands could man who; commenting on his gallop on make him. He's rather light and the previous morning. had liked him wants substance. I should doubt his little better tuan 'Mr. Hanway had, having stamina to get hard ui n five still said. that with such a trial horse miles. What's this coming ? BY as old Todhunter in the stable, the Jove, that's a rare mover.' openly expressed cp inion of idessrs. " That's Teetotum," replied his Moore and Reubens as to his chance friend, " and It's whispered that she was entitled to be regarded with much Is the most dangerous ousider in the race. The Hampshire people are all wild about her. She never ran but once, and then she turned .the turtle. There is quite a romantic story about her ; they say she has been taught to jump by her owner's daughter, and that for a long time nobody else could do anything with her ; but she'll go now for that young fellow who's been riding her for this morning ; and if he wins to -marrow he is to have the girl's hand for his riding fee." " Quite a romance in three volu- umes," laughed the other. " I'm too old to fool money away now, but as a young one, I'd have had a tenner on that just for the romance of the thing. However, we've seen 'm all go now, and may as well get home to break- fast. I don't fancy the favorite, and if old Todhunter isn't saoriflced to his stable companion, shall expect to see hire returned the winner. If they eut Iris throat by making running for f atamount, well, then I should say, if old Defiance don't win, anything might." • --- CHAPTER XII. A bright sun and a bitter nor'east- er heralded in the morning of the Grand National. " Seasonable wea- ther, sir," " Fine bracing morning!" Such were the greetings exchanged by, the crowd as they tumbled out from all parts of England at the Liverpool stations. The burly Yorkshire men were there in force, and a strong con- tingent from Lincolnshire had flock- ed to the banks of the Mersey. Shef- Aeld had poured forth its hundreds, and the specials from Birmingham and London were filled to overflowing. All these men liked a race ; but to some of them there was no rage run in the kingdom like that tough tussle over that half -real, half -artificial four to five miles of country that took place every March at Liverpool. They swarmed into the town ravenous for something to eat, and their appetite once appeased, poured forthon every description of conveyance from shanks' mare to four -horse breaks, to the scene of the tourney. Long before the hour appointed for racing to begin the course was covered with spectators: the stand perhaps. had not as yet filled up; but the betting ring was swelling rap- idly. Round Beecher's Brook, Valen- tines Brook and other points of vant- ege. the dbUntry folk crowded like bees, making hearty al fresco meals off cold �tiicat dr hrosd and cheese, and pass- tention oP going Sown into the betting ,pearance roused considerable enthus- ring, leav[ng Pik and Kitty for the'iasm about "the lady's mare," and present to the e lett though it was many of the spectators, as they bust - agreed that the latter should come"led beak to the stand to see the race, dawn with Dick and see Teetotum sad- vowed they would have just a little died when the time came. As Por Joe bet on Teetotum 'just for the fun of Bourton, he nod gone direct,..to the the thing, you know." saddling paddock, where he was &peed- It was not that, although they chose Sly laughing and joking with Mr. Han to call it so, it was just that dash of way and a lot more of nis airiipshire romance that lies at the bottom of the friends. heart of every ;nen or woman worthy Sh.� went better, Mr. Bourton, she the name. There is no nation in the did. indeed. Sir, than anything i saw• out this morning. As Per that "ata- •world so chary about exposing their fount ,Teetotum beats him whatever emotions as oureelvas, for whatever he wins. If ever looks are to be any guide may feel, an Englishman is wondet•- to horseflesh. A jumped -off rat of a oua shy about exposing his feelings. horse I cal! him. Well fn ? Why but here was an occasion upon which he has got just the same weight as any man could give free scope to them. He might back Teetotum, and who was to say the reason why ? perchance he fancied the name; perchance he fancied her looks ; perchance he back- ed her because he didn't know what else to back. but , no orre could accuse him of being such a fool as co wager motley on a pure matter of sentiment, and yet a good many of that crowd when they rushed back from the pad- dock did so simply because• they had seen' a pretty girl standing at Teeto- tum's head. and had heard a romantic story connected with her. Dick comes back having "weighed out" all right, and the mare greets him as sshe does her young mistress with a alight whinny of recognition; another minute and Joe P,ourton has thrown him into the Paddle and Tee- totum is pacing slowly toward the exit from the paddock, with Kitty still walking by her side. Arrived there she pats Teetotum's neck. "Good -by, Dick, and God speed you. She has told me as well as she can that she will be good. God send you safe back to me, my darling." names of which are not necessary to this story. Next in order came the sky-blue packet of Defiance. and the crimson sleeves and black cap of old Todhunter; some couple of lengths be- ing in upon him. had cooled down a bit and recovered "Damnation ride your own line," he herself, and that there was nothing roared. further he cared for. " I can't help it," shouted Gregson Such a sensational finish to a Grand back again, and as they took off. Greg- National had perhaps never been wit - bind him came Catamount, distinguish- son deliberately pulled his horse across neesed. bfr. Gregson's foul riding had ed from his stable companion by his Colaton. A collision in the air was been quite comprehended by many peo- rider wearing a red cap and lying com- fortably at the bead of the ruck, while positively last of all, although not in the least tailed off, was the orange banner in which alone Kitty felt in- terested. "It's all right " said Bourton, "she le fencing beautifully with him. He hoe plenty of time to catch the leaders between this and home -they have a very long way to go yet." And now they cross Valentine's Brock and make the turn down the canal side, and as they do so Dick Colaton begins to feel sanguine of success. His great anxiety Is so far allayed, that Teeto- tum discovers no signs of nervousness, but sails away with him as she was wont over the Hampshire Downs at the puropse of weighing -out Hariily the tail of Tedworth. She has made bad he left them when Mr. Waters nothing of any of the fences, and Dick, turned up frsh from the betting ring. who walked all over the course the day "Tell you what it is, Mr. Bourton, before. knew that unless it was the there a lot o! people over there back- brook in front of the stand, she would ing our mare. They've brought her now meet nothing likely to upset her to ten to one. and I've just hardened nervous temperament. As they came my heart and put another tenner on down the canal side he ventured to take closer order with his companions. Jackson, who was riding the favorite, seemed also in no hurry to take his Ser." "Well, that avows conidenee up to the last moment" rejoined Bourton. "We shall soon know now i! she Is as horse to the front, and was contenting good an we think she is." himself at present with holding a good Kitty bad by this left her father Position in the ruck. And now leav- and was walking by the side of Tee- ing the canal they turned their heads totum. The mare turned her head for home, and come down the brook and gretted her young mistress with opposite the stand, into which Pulla- a low whinny of recognition. way plumps Incontinently and upships But soon the rumor spread through his jockey, one or two of his attendants the paddock that the fairy who bad also blunder at it, and, though not transformed a bad race -horse, and a placed hors de combat, lose a con - hopeless cross-country performer, into alderable lot o! ground before they a candidate for Liverpool honors. was ran be set going again. This eft there herself to look after the saddling Gamecock with a somewhat command - of her charge. Quickly the giddy crowd ing lead, but his rider was a wary old horseman and was not going to be tempted to drive his horse to a .stand- still because the fates had proved kind to him. The two veterans, Defiance and Todhunter. took the brook almost side by nide and now went. steadily on in pursuit o! Gamecock. thronged down to see Teetotum, and look at this girl who had caused such a metamorphoels. Most of then pic- tured to themselves a stern, hard -fea- tured masculine young woman. Tuclge ,their surprise when they saw walking by Teetotum's side a very pretty, quiet- ly dressed girl, with downcast eyes and most modest demeanor, who seem- ed painfully conscious of the attention she was attarcting. in good truth, Kitty by no means liked the situation. She comforted herself with the reflection that it would be all over in a quarter of an hour or so, and she resolved to be brave for Dick's sake. They both held it es- sential that she should pet and soothe the mare till the last moment, and 1f Diek was not afraid to ride, why should she blench because these people stared at her ? She was perfectly unaware of the sorr4r�rltnr pooggcre+ed atnry afloat about her, and supposed that ft was simply unusual for a woman to take part in a race -horse's toilet. All unconscious on her part, her ap- respect. Grievous mistakes are no doubt made at times In trials, nut the r'"' a s sole • • oly was to bend for - race usually shows that the majority ward and kiss the hand extended to of them have been tolerably correct. him, and then he polned his companions "Well, you see. Mr. Hanway," said i preparatory to pacing past the stand in Joe Bourton, "they run in all sorts of Indian file. Joe Bourton and Waters shapes, and though if it came to a imemdiately took possession of Kitty, matter of looks, I'd ack any judge to give it to mine eas, tt is just possible they we may find t is Catamount a very tough customer to tackle. I looked at him this morning. There's no mistake about it; he's trained to the day." ( "Yes," said another of the group, "end Jackson, whom they've got to ride, is a steady, good man, who knows his way over this course well." "T can only say," said Bourton, "that I am afraid of nothing, and if it don't cep. who was the hero of this romantic come off, at all events T think you'll ntory. Teetotum was perfectly cool have a rare gond run for your motley." and well behaved during this prologue to the great drama about to be enact - in the grewng stns meanwhile, ape- ! ed, Jumping the hurdles in her canter culatlon grew fast and furious. •Five to one about Catamount was obtain- In faultless fashion, and betraying no able with difficulty, and in serval cases signs of net vouanese. By this time backers put vp with a point less. The people had poured back from the pad - next in popular estimation waaDeflance dock, and Mtss Bovrton's personality whose own immediate party, followed I had become more widely known, and by a conelderable section of the public, a good many looks and glasses were levelled in her direction. But Kitty was too absorbed in her own feelings to observe the notice she attracted. A few minutes more and a shout from and hurried back to gain their seats in the grand stand.. No need, for any last words to Dick. Had they not all discussed how the race should be run, as far as he was con- cerned, over and over again ? Noth- ir g left now but to see the upshot of it. ' The preliminary canter was s00n over„ and during it many a race -glass was levelled at the good-looking young fellow in the orange jacket and black were placing their money upon him. ' "i stand him," said a yell -known follower of the stable, "because they've been ringtntx the ehan�ea nn those I the carriages next the road proclaimed two horses, Todhunter and Catamount' I that the competitors for the Grand Na - and the chances are they'll t•4ess the , tional had started on their journey; another minute ,and leaving the Sefton Arms Hotel well behind them, they emerge on to the flat, and, crossing the road, stream down toward the first fence, a pink jacket leading. "That's Pullaway in front," cried Bob Waters, "and that's Defiance in the light blue jacket lying next; but they're all in a cluster at present, though I don't suppose they'll be so long." "Dick's lying nearly last, ie he not?" said Kitty, whose hand shook so she could hardly use her glasses. "Yes," repied her father, "that's our orange jacket lying pretty well last of everything, but you know we settled he should ,ride the raee In that way. He was to be very careful not td flurry the mare till she had thoroughly set- tled down to her work." On they went pretty well all to- gether till they came to Beecber'n Brook, where on of the twenty-two competitors blundered acid was left be- hind. Once round the turn the rider of Pullativay took advantage of his lead and made the pace pretty strong down the straight stretch ( n the tar race away. I believe they could win with the old horse, but they're going to try and win with the young one, and will so put Todl'�nnter's chance out." But for alt that. the public stili clung to their old favorite, and Todhunter had a conetderable number of rupport- era. Somewhat to Mr. Waters' sur- prise, he found that Teetotum had crept rapidly forward in the betting. This was due to two reasons : firstly, oho had pleased the cognoscenti very much to her gallop of yesterday morn- ing, and, secondly, that. story about her, trained by and entered at the de- sire of her owner's daughter, had by this become widely circulated. In fart, the "lady's mare," as they dub. bed her, was whispered about as quite the good thing of the race. It was just one of those stories that catch the polluter mind, and many a stout north -countryman or hard-headed farmer from the eastern counties who was a little puzzled as to making up his inind about what to back, finally resolved to have just "a retnd or two on that 7'eet turn" In the ladies' I I CONCLUSION. The enthusiasm o! the stand was thoroughly roused as the two debu- tantes came down to make their first real public essay at water. Cata- mount led a good two lengths. He might be light looking, but at the pre- sent moment he looked like galloping on and Doming down to the brook with- out. a sign of refusal, flew it cleverly. "Now, old woman, ' cried Dick, as he followed suit, and Teetotum cocked her ears, quickened her stride, and, as Dick said afterward, went at it as if she had been, jerked out of a cata- pult. "Over, old Italy," muttered Dick as he pulled his mare together and pat- ted her on the neck. "I should think you were, but remember another time, it isn't the canal you've got to jump. I wonder how many feet you did cov- er?" There was quite a little cheer fol- lowed Teetotum and her rider from the spectators near the brook as they con- tinued their way alongside the race- course. As they turned into the coun- try again, Defiance and Todhunter had closed considerably upon Gamecock. Catamount was at the head of the next oluster,now considerably reduced, while Dick Colaton was lying second. Game- cock maintained his lead till they had once more crossed Beecher's Brook, and then it was evident to the experi- enced eyes of Sam Gregson and the rider of Defiance that his bolt was shot, and the former worthy began to think it was high time that he did something in the Interests of Cata- mount, and without more ado he took his horse to the front. The rider of Defiance was bothered; at this stage o! the race he dared not let such a dangerous opponent get away from him, and yet at the same time he was quite aware that supposing he raced successfully with this adversary he would .very likely be called upon to tackle the favorite a little later. He reckoned the whole thing up quickly in his head ,and came to the conclu- sion that he would settle Todhunter at once, and trust to there being noth- ing able to get to him afterward. The tactics were ingenious In theory , but in practice they rather failed, lea, un- fortunately, just before they came to Valentine's Brook be became con- r-Ious that Sam Gregson had settled him. Gregson had been ton much occupied in the demolition of Defiance to take note of what was passing behind him, and when ,after jumping Valentine's Brook, he threw a glance backward, he was astonished to find Teetotum at his heels. While Gregson had been engaged In galloping down Defiance, Dick Colaton had run boldly up to Cat- amount, and in a few strides not only deprived him of the lead, but convinc- ed himself that he had the favorite at his mercy. For a second Gregson was staggered at the turn things had taken, but the superb scoundrel speedily rose to the situation. He already recognized that bar accidents Teetotum would prob- ably win; at all events, he thought Catamount could not. As before said, be had determined to make money out of this race somehow. His two hun- dred pounds were contingent on Cata- mount's winning, and that he thought was now very doubtful. A bold con- ception struck him; this young Mr. Colaton no doubt stood to win a good stake on his mount, and was probably thirsting for the honor and glory of winning the Liverpool. As Dick came alongside of him, he said. "Well, Mr, Colaton, strikes me there's only you and I left in it. I'll have a cross bet with you, if you like. Yours beats mine. for a thousand 1" For a moment Dick failed to recog- nfze the villainy of this proposal, and then It dawned upon him that the irre- claimable blackguard galloping along- side of him was offering to pull his horse for that sum. "No, thank you," replied Dick. "I'll win on the square, or not at all." And now they turned into the flat, jumping the flight of hurdles at the bond side by side. "There,s only three in it 1" scream ed Waters excitedly, "and our mare 10 one of 'em, Come on, Teetotum 1 only, now, one flight of hurdles between you and the winning poet 1" Dick and Gregson were now coming along side by side, watehing each other like two cats, but neither had yet be- gun riding. Three lengths off was the favorite, whom Jackson was care- fully nursing for a final effort, though feeling that unless the unexpected hap- pened to the two leaders, there was no ehanee of hie winning, At least half a score of lengths behind came Defiance. "A born fool," muttered (Iregson. "Why couldn't he pay that thousand pounds ? Now I shall have to Jeo- pardize both our necks." The minute he was over the last hur- dle, tick had made up his mind to come right away: his crafty anta.go- the consequence. and from the stand , ple in the Strand, and it was well for arose a shout of " They're both down!" him that he was picked up insensible At the same time a woman's shriek and carried away under the impression was heard, and Kitty Bourton fainted. that he was badly hurt. In reality the " By heavens," cried Waters, " and scor.ndrel, though stunned for the mp- there's the favorite down too !" And ment. had come out of this melee of his as he spoke, Catamount, dead beat, own making very little the worse for fell over the last hurdle, just when � the fall. He was purposely rather slow Messrs. Moore and Reubens consider- coming round, and gathered from the ed their• money in their pockets. However, it so happened that the first cry from the stand of " They're both down 1" was not quite the case. Todhunter and Sam Gregson undoubt• publicity, and e.s soon as he had chang- edly were down, and Teetotum, owing ed his clothes and fortified himself to the cannon, had jumped the hurdle with a copious libation of brandy and sideways and blundered on to her knees; water. stole back to Liverpool in un - but Dick had managed to peep his ostentatious fashion, with the sicken. seat, and by a desperate effort, just ing sensation that, in spite of all his kept her off the rails and succeeded chicanery, ho had benefited nothing !n setting her going again. He telt by the race: The general verdict was something give way in his arm as he that, but for the collision at the last did so, and in another second his right hurdle, it would have been a capital arm hung motionless by hi"s side. Had race between old Todhunter and the there been anything within reach oP winner. while• the rider of Defiance, him Dick must have been beaten, and to the day of Iris death, always lament - as it was a roar came from the stand, ed that he threw away the chance of " Old Defiance wins after all 1" The victory, Jockey of that horse, when he saw the "Mine was fairly done with, but 1f 1 front rank go down like a house of could have foreseen that the three in cards, very naturally thought that, front of me were all going to blunder beaten as his horse was, he had a at the last hurdle, I could have been chance of winning. He got safely over a bit nearer to take advantage 'of the last hurdle, and, riding his horse their trouble, and if I had been, 1 desperately, it became a very tine should have just won:" point, whether he couldn't even now But for these ifs the material events catch Dick before he could reach the of this world would many a time have winning post, but fortune favored the been much altered. latter, and though the distance never Messrs. Moore and Reubena in all allowed Teetotum to get fairly into their• racing career had never experi- her stride again, she managed re enced such a disaster as this. They scramble past the winning post a bare had played for a great stake, and had length to the good, seen it apparently within their reach. Kitty's companions had been ab• Beaten though Catamount undoubted - sorbed in the race that they had pacid ly was, had he onl eafel little attention to her, and therefove Y Y got over the had not noticed how ghastly pale thb last hurdle Sam Gregaon's desperate girl had been ever since it commenced. expedient would have given him the Her scream, however, made them turn race. As it sae, although recognizing toward her. She had fallen back in that their emissary had done hie best, her seat and was white to the very they were in no disposition to be gen- lips. " Teetotum wins 1 Teetotum crone; they were too hard hit them - wins ! Teetotum has won 1" burst from selves to dispense money with a free hundreds of mouths, and in another hand, and there were sinister rumors minute the mare's number was satin- that they would never meet their lia- faetorily hoisted with that o8 Defiance bilitiea. Thanks, however, to the con - under it. Joe Bourton, between the sideration and to some extent the as- giory of having won the Liverpool, eistance of their brethren, they did and dismay at his daughter's prostra- manage to weather the blackest Mon - tion, was for the minute fairly dazed, day they had ever encountered. but but Mr. Waters was equal to the occa- their speculations wore crippled and conducted on a much more limited cion. scale for man "Get down as fast as you can, man, Y a long day. and lead your mare in; never inind Sam Gregson vanished into the ob- Miss Bourton, leave me to take care of scurity and poverty that usually be - her. She has only fainted, and will), f1a11s a jockey who turns an arrant be as jolly as a sandboy as soon as thief; in much disrepute -before, his she comes to and I've made her under shameful foul riding in the Grand Na - stand that; her sweetheart has won tional put a practical finish to his the Liverpool and not broken his neck career, and he lapsed'nto a mere hang - I'11 get her into a carriage at the back er-on of the racecourse, picking up a of the Strand as soon as I can, and Pec ki us llv ng ash a best could. we'll wait there till you and Colaton proved a much come to us." more serious thing than was at first Bourton felt that there was sense in anticipated. No bones were broken, Mr. Waters' advice, and accordingly but in the desperate effort he had hurried off to lead in the winner of the made to keep Teetotum on her lens, Grand National. Dick looked very the muscles irad been most fearfully pale when Bourton at last got hold of wrenched. He usffered great nein in Teetotum's bridle. His mouth twitch- it for weeks. and it was months he- ed a little, and his right arm still hung fore the doctors allowed him to use the powerless by his side. injured limb again; but Kitty made a "It's all right," he exclaimed, as he most unwearied nurse, and Bob Waters jumped off, and with his left hand and declared that he never saw a man en - teeth proceeded to remove Teetotum's jot' a state of crlppledom more. His saddle. "I just got home, and now, arm was still in a sling when he stood as soon as I've weighed in, I'll be off before the altar of Abbotsford church to the hotel. I don't know what's with Kitty Bourton ,and they vowed wrong, but I feel as if everything was to love and cherish each other till smashed in this arm. .It's luck, at all death should them part. events, that 1 don't want to use it any snore to -day, for I've lost all use of it." Without more ado, Dick got into the scales, and, as soon as the "all right" was pronounced, he threw his great coat over his shoulders, and, accom- panied by Bourton, made his way to the back of the Strand. Mr. Waters was as good as his word; but, no sooner was the race over and his neighbors on the stand became aware of what had happened, than he -eceived any amount of assistance; cold water and a tumbler, and more than one friendly flask were proffered him, and in a very few minutes Kitty recovered herself sufficiently to elt' up, gulp some cold water, wonder how she could have been so foolish, and, with a sickly smile, essayed to speak. "Sit quiet for a. few minutes more," said Waters, authoritatively. "Dick is all right, and has won the Liverpool. Now just drink this glass of sherry and then you and I will go off and congratulate him." By this time the people in her vfcln- ity had become aware that the lady who had fainted was the Mlss Bour- ton whose father had just won the big race, land that she had swooned upon seeing her lover, as she thought, get a terribly bad fall at the last hurdle. She found herself, much to her con- fusion, an object of the greatest interest as she made her way out of the stand. leaning on Waters' arm. To get hold of their own carriage proved imprac- ticable; but Waters had no difficulty in catching a fly, into which he and Kitty at once got, to wait till Dick and Bour- ton should join them. A very few minutes,' and they were seen making their way through the throng, and Waters eagerly hailed them; but a glance showed Kitty that there was something wrong. Dick would have had his coat on instead of only thrown over his shoulders, if there had not been something the matter: still, as he was able to talk, the girl comforted herself with the reflection that, what- ever his injuries, they could not be of an alarming description. "All right ?" exclaimed• Waters, ex- citedly. "Yes," rejoined Bourton, "all right as far as the race is concerned, but I am afraid Dick has hurt his arm bad - comments about him that the tide of popular feeling had set somewhat against him. He rightly determined not to court "Don't look frightened, Kitty," ex- claimed Colaton, "'I've won the Liver- pool, and have promised you 'never to do so no more.' I have hurt the arm, and am in considerable pain just now, but I am pretty sure it's nothing ser- ious, and that a doctor will very soon put it to rights." "Oh 1 Dick, my dear," exclaimed the girl, "I thought you were killed at that last hurdle. I've been very stupid and a great trouble to Mr. Waters, I am sure." "Not sa bit," exclaimed that gentle- man, "but the first thing we have got to do now is to put that arm in' a sling," and producing a Large silk handkerchief from the pocket of his overcoat, Mr. Waters, with Kitty's as- sistanee, soon manufactured a sling and got Colatores arm into it, "There," he said at last," that's easier, isn't It ? Takes its own weight oft !t, you see, and novo the sooner you get hack to Liverpool and send for assurgeon the better. You needn't, come unless you like, Bourton, I'ni going to look after ISiek, Strikes me these young people ain't quite able to take care of themselves to -day.' ' "Ah 1 my darling," whispered Kitty, United Kingdanl 30.7 .40 1.01 as they drove away, "you won the T.Iv- erpool, and I am proud of it, hu; no_ France 5.2 29.50 1.85 body knows what I suffered during the U-njt I S . 12.7 ' 0.83 UnitLd States 1'l.7 0.22 0.83 three days previous to that race. I was haunted with the idea, Dick, that it was predestined to prove fatal to yon. f3ut you're m. own now, and I'll never consent to your riding another steeple- chase." IIRII.�MS QF M! NATIUi' S BEV1 RAGES OF IN1 DIF 'ERF44T NATIONS OF TF E WORLD.. t'oniulnptloa of Bret) *41110 anti *pilafs in Ibe Eider European countries ford I14e United Staten, The British Board of Trade bas corn- m�n(ed the publication of a series of useful official reports sbowing the pro. duction and consumption of alcoholio liquors, chiefly beer, wine and•apirits, in: thie chief European countz'ies and the United States, says the London Daily Mail. The first striking fact is the geo- graphical distribution od alcoholic beverages. Generally speaking, spirits are consumed in the north, where cold and wet climates prevail, and wine in ti.e south. Ln Russia spirits are almost the only drink. In Germany, the Baltio provinces drink little or no wine, but prefer s irits with some beer; while the there pros in.:es—Alsace-Lor- rai:n Bavaria an.i Baden—consume a considerable quantity of wine as well as much beer. In France the staple beverage of the provinces bordering on the Mediterranean is wine, whici. is cheap there, but the colder depart- m'enits of northern France drink far more spirits. Tile same difference of taste distinguishes northern and southern Italy. Beer is, of course, the staple drink in England, e.nd spirits in Scotland and Ireland. From the taxation of alcoholic bev- erages the United Kingdom derives 36 par cent., of its total revenue, the United. States 30 per cent., France 19 per cent., and Germany 171-2 per cent., and it is in these countries that the amount of drink consumes is tno iarg- e..t. Tile amouint consumed appears to vary with the prosperity and the spending capacity of a nation; but a Parliaineeitary C„mmisri.,n recently ap- pointed. in France hits contended that no increase .n the amount of TAXATION ON DRLNK will have the effect of permanently, dimini..hing the consumption. With few exception, each country produces most of the drink which it most largely consumes, so drat the im- portatioa of its favorite beverage is comparatively unimportant. France is the country where the con- sumption of w ins is largest, and also, generally speaking, the country where the production is largest too, al- though of late years the production in Italy bas sometimes exceeded it. In the United Kingdom the consumption of wine in 1896 reached 15. i 16,000 gal- lons, but this was comparatively little whein contrasted with last year's con- sumption of beer, which exceeded 1.' 200,000,00u gallons, or thirty gallons for every member of the population. T'he people o'f Bavaria are the world's ahampion drinkers, their consunrl�tion of oeeer amounts to fifty gallc,n, per heat! of the population in a year. Bel- gium ranks second, where More then forty-three gallon, of beer per bead are consumed. it i, i e proud privi,ege of the United Kingeom to occupy third place. With over thirty gallons per hiead, relatively to population. 'tve beat Germany at the game, an i drink more beer, both in the total an 1 per head, thea Frenchmen drink wine. To gi.e each nation its proper status in the legion of drinkers, we compile from the ofli�ial returns the con vinp- tioa per Lead of beer, wine, and spirits is four countries: Beer. Wine. Spirits. Gallons. Gal�ons. Gallons (THE END.) THE' DUKE OF ARGYLL Something About the Lire o This Wonder fal nine—Hip Ilnny A,•ccrnpllnh' scum. The Duke of Argyll, who has just celebrated the fiftieth anniversary of his succession to the dukedom, enjoys the well-deserved reputation of being the most aggressive and quarrelsome little man in the United Kingdom, and there is scarcely a person of any pro- minence, living or dead, contemporary to Queen Victoria, with whom he leas not at one time or another been in bit- ter conflict. He has quarrelled with his Queen, with his family, with the leaders of 'both, politicai parties, with the principal ac:ientists of the day, and last, but not least, with the church, his attitude toward the ]atter being at one moment so ):ostile that on one memorable occasion the Lord Bishop of Glasgow wrote a letter to the Duke expressing his intention of refusing holy communion t.o his Grace on the following Easter Sunday. The only similar act of episcopal severity toward a peer of the realin on record is ttl•e oa.se of the present Lord and Lady Shrewshury and 'Talbot -- fns Earl be- ing the premier earL of the realm—who were refused holy communion at a country church In the county of Che- shire in consequence of orders receiv- ed by the rector from the 13ishop of Chester, who considered that the elope- ment and divorce that had preceded the marriage of the Earl and Countess were of a nature to, deha.r them from receiving the sacraments. HIS BUSY CAREER. The Duke of Argyll has had acareer that has been almost as busy as that of Mr. Gladstone. He lecame an au- thor at 19, chancellor of a great uni- versity at 28, aC'al,inet, Mini.,ter at 29. He has been three times Keeper of the Privy Seal of England,has been Secre- tary of State for India and Postmast- er-General,is Keeper of the Great Seal of Scotland and hereditary Master of the Queen's household in Scotland, be- sides holding the title of "Admiral of the Western Isles." ].Moreover, he holds more nol ilia.ry titles than any other Scotch nobleman. He is an artist of no small merit, a master of geology, ornithology and natural history, and so clever a scientist that Darwin con- sidered it necessary to issue a volume of refutations of the Duke's criticisms on ]lis theory of descent, He is so imperious that "the Scotch are convinced that he owns the earth, and one can well believe the story of the highland peasant who, when Prin- cess iouise married the Marquis of Lorne, declared ttutt "the Queen must he a mighty proud woman to have her daughter wed the son of the MacCal- tum More." He had leen thrice mar- ried, dresses in a shocking manner, is exceedingly thrifty and has been known to cline off a dish of tripe, with Six servants in his livery sn.perintend- ing tbis trttiy dural repast. Thio consumption of spit its, it ap; ears, has nwt varied greatly in tie United Kingdom during the last ten years,' but. BEER -DRINKING leas been on the increase. Moret of tie spirits drunk in the Uni- ted Kingdom are made here; thus out of a total consumption of 40,000,000 gallons last year only 8,200,000 gallons were imported. Alcohol made in France from wine or fruit has been almost replaced by alcohol made from other vegetable sub- stances ; 1:en.ie French brandy has suf- fered much in public estimation. The French divide their alcohol into four classes—alcohol ethylique, male from the grape ; alcohol prophylique, made from the refuse of wine or from other fruit; alcohol butylique, from molasses or beet root; and alcohol amylique, from potatoes or conn. All except the first pre progressively noxious in the order named, indeed, poisonous 'n some degree, the last named being most so. The suggestion is made that these var- ieties of brandy should be stamped or labelled for export, so - as to distin- guish them, and thus recover some of the reputation whi, h Fren. h brandies at one time enjoyed. The facts adduced inn relation tothe United States are somewhat remark- able. It cannot be considered., the re- port states, a large beer drinking na- tion any more than itean becort idered a Large wine drinking nation. The pro- duction an,i consumption of spirits has been for some years past decreasing; in fact, it may be said generally that of the three alcoholic beverages, the consumption of wine and spirits is dis- tinctly diminishing, while the consump- tion of beer has only kept pace with the increase of population. These circumstances are certainly worth investigating, so as to discover whether they are due to the spread of bemperance prin.•iples or to the trade depression whi,:h, has existed for some time. The United States fiscal author- ities attribute it to the latter cause, an,d state that they look forward to improved receipts if the promised im- provement in business cl•nditions is even partially realized. CO-OPLi(ATION. �$ tt is Practiced Withstuccess Ity a Soeletyft`r Re.ket 1lalrers. In Europe, as is well known, the prin- ciple co-operation has been incorporat- ed in many forms as yet untried in this country. A late number of the Economic Journal furnishes interesting particulars concernin �a i'renoh sa iety of basket makers, which bai flourished at ViU'aines for a',out 45 years. The workers, about 150 in number, work at their own houses, and supply themsel- ves with osiers at their own cost, The society exists for the purpose of find- ing a market, and is so successful that the demand is gra ter than the supply. The society does not concern 1tFelf with the delivery of goods. ('u;tomers must make their own arran,;em me to send for them. The ao dety is managed by a cornmitteo,but the a •tual work devol- ves on tiro President and on the Sen- ret,'iry, who are the only i;aid mem- 1,ers. The society is ref ortod to he sun-' eesstul nncl popu'ar and tis members prosperous. In iniat.anres nuc:, as this we may see an indication of the form of co-operation whirl is sur, to nitrons popular among us iu the near . ,.taro.