The Oregon daily journal., June 30, 1907, Page 30, Image 30

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Copyright. 1I9T. by W. B. Hearst
HEY were sack an unpromising
looking pair, boy snd bora, aa
they; stood la fhe atabla yard at
Woodstock. . ' Underslxed, un-
kempt 'nondescript ' as t color,
' i there wa a kind of pathetic like
lies between them, avaa la tha way la
which they ah rank away from tha flna
horses and big men about them, aa If
' feeling tlmt they had no place la auch
company. .
, Tt's tha Fourth o' July, tha boy was
' saying to a froom who was. leading a
horse to water, '.tha Colonel haa given
ma a holiday and I am. going to tha
speaking.' a Ad with a bound ho .flung
' himself oj hi tagged Bad die. A mo
ment mora and there waa a puff of white
dust down tha road and boy and llorse
bad vanished In tha distance. ' ' ,
"Land of i Goshen," tha man" ex
claimed.' looking after, them. "buff; hat
horse, has got speed and -the' boy can
4ride, That's the worst, of them runta
. you can't never tell how they are go
ing to turn out Now that colt of
Tom's, when tha colonel gav. If to him
when Its mother died. I wouldn't -have
taken, it aa a gracious gift. It wa that
poor, and unlikely - looking. But Tom.
he act up nights with' it and nursed it,
and heated milk for 1U and coddled it
same as a woman does a, teething baby. 1
and saved Ua Ufa. It haa hit Ua own
for eneryness, and it haa grown up
runty and alabalded and yewnecked
you never could believe It's got a drop
of good blood in It If yon didn't know
It but lt'a got speed ail right It can
go like tha wind. And Tom, he's just
Ilka it He's little and ugly, and freck
led Jaced. and ha looka like a plum fool
except for them keen eyes of hja," but
he's got more sense than airy a -maa on
tha place. ? ) , "
"He'a a poor white,' commented an
other groom, succinctly.
"Tea,", replied tha first speaker, "but
they aay that hi lather comas of good
stock back In Virginia. He was a gen
tleman even If he was shiftless. ,"
.Meanwhile Tonv unaware of tba phil
osophy ha ; was Inspiring, was en hla
way to the barbecue and speaking. . Tba
bright Kentucky: sunshine sifted down
on him' through tha leaves of the treea
that overarched tha white ribbon of tha
turnpike. Beautiful fields of blue grass
rolled away on either aide like tba em
erald and topas waves of an inland sea.
Hera a group of horses, and there a
herd of duaky red Devon cattle raised
their heads to watch him aa he passed.
A bird followed blm with lta glad song,
but . Tom's eyea were not for "these
things, . Insensibly the horse slackened
its pace, and tha boy dropped the reins
on Its neck, while his mind harked back
to a. thought that bad tormented turn
of late..."
He was troubled, dissatisfied. All at
once it had come . to him that rubbing
down horses, and exercising them, even
if one was able to ride like & profes
sional Jockey, waa not a aufflcient ca
reer, and his faea darkened and grew
old and unchlldish. aa he went over once
more in memory his own Ufa that waa
so short in years ana so long in experi
ence. ., -.,.-
As tha groom -had said, ha belonged
to that class known in the south aa
"poor whites. " who, lacking the wealth,
social' position' and tha culture of the
upper class, and the happy-go-lucky
carelessness of tha negro, have little af-
Convict Becomes a Millionaire
CELDOM haa there been afforded a
mora striking Illustration of tha
- . j irony of fortune than that which
- has befallen a young Italian. ' Ha
; haa suddenly become enormously
" wealthy, but the unexpected access of
riches only adds to hla misery. ; He
cannot spend a cent of It on himself.
He has to work hard without pay and
subsist on the plainest fare, although
v money enough is his to enable him to
wallow la luxuries were be only to get
. : It, Paaqual Monaldt la a millionaire.
but . be stUI remains a convict la
..Roman prison.
' Not long ago ha was working wearily
at breaking atones under the African sua
. on 'the island of . Lampdusa, ' between
Malta and Tripoli, wondering why be
: r-aa been sent into tne world n tne ena
waa the four walla of a prison during
tne nest years ot aia lire, wnen a com
ranion, aeelng hla dejection, undertook
:. to cheer him up by predicting that
something woutd oamtniy happen.
"le, said tne otner, contemptuously,
I can die that's what can happen."
The same mood followed him to. his
. cell, and it waa with a smothered oath
that be looked up when a rattling at his
. . floor announced a visitor. . two. men
walked solemnly into tbe narrow eelL
. and, standing before the convict, eked
him If he had not felt in his bonea that
somethingrwas going to happen.
Something Did jlappen.
"Happen r exclaimed Pasquale, roused
to fury by the second harping on the
same theme, "don't both me with hap
penings! What X want la to be left la
peace.'
"Very welt then." said the other; "I
. shall have your millions and leave you
the peaeet" After baiting the poor fel
' low some time longer until he was rap-
Idly losing his head, he was told that
an aunt whose very existence he had
. forgotten, had just died, leaving mil
lions, and Jiat he, Pasquale, the poor
convict was her only heir.
"What are you torturing me forT" he
cried. That .would be the limit! Mil
lions outside, and I a prisoner! X will
not believe in Such 111 luck."
But all the same it was true. Pas
quale's aunt Berta Formal, went when
young- to South America with her pa
rents, where she married a miner. This
miner discovered a silver mine and died.
, leaving her very rich, The now old and
childless woman has just paused to her
: long rest and -her nephew is the only
aurvivor of the whole family.
"Pasquale, who was a barber Is in his
-convict prison tor i years, ua is now
Just Zi, having served three years al
: ready. His crime was murder, but not
i premeditated. On evening he waa out
walking with his sweetheart Home Uam
barotta, but the course of true love was
not running very smoothly. She was
not as wrapped up in her companion as
he would have wished, and in hia eyes
was too conscious of the admiring
glances thrown at her. When he waa in
a thoroughly bad temper they met a
certain Giuaeppe Bottego, hla most
feared rival, who greeted tha girl fa
miliarly, all three stopping to talk.'
Killed Rival for Maid. ; '
. Bather free : jokes passed - between
Boss and Giuseppe, which ended by the
latter catching her about the waist and
with a ribald Jest planting a resounding
kins on herred lips. - She, taken aback,
ecreamed and - furiously demanded if
. I'asquale would stand by and see her
' iitM UeatedL J'Mijvalii, a bis side, saw.
Above 18 Rosa Gambartt.
photo appears below.
She was Pasqdala Monaldl'l Sweetheart. His
red. and, drawing his knife, struck wild
ly at the offender. Sending he blade
straight Into his heart. It waa all over
In a moment The victim sank to the
pavement while the murderer and the
girt hoDina to aret awav In tha darkaaaa
and loneliness of the road; turned to run,
All. this came out at the trial, whleh
ended la Pasauala betas' sentenced to II
yews' nana, sevltude Ui bitterness X
his fate being Intensified by the knowl
edge that - Boss was a heartless flirt
who-would speedily drv her eyes , and
console herself with another lover.
And the millions?. They will. be. ad
ministered by someone appointed by the
courts,-and if he is honest Pasquale will
find them waiting for him when he
comes out. If he should turn out . dis
honest Pasquale may find himself as
penniless as when be first donned th
poavlofs (ark. ,
flllatioA with either, and arc, crashed
between the upper and aether millstone
of race prejudice. His father, th
black sheep of a good family, bad died
when Tom was a baby, and his mother
bad abed oat a scanty living doing
plain sewing for th wives of the neigh
boring farm era It was a bard Ufa,
full of loneliness sad th bitter make
shifts of ' poverty, but tha woman
scarcely knew It 8b bad bar boy
the patient silent precocious little
thing who trudged besld her in Jour
neys vta - and from her natrons, or
watched for her of ka evening at ber
oaDin aoor.
One day. never to be forgotten as Ion
aa he lived. Tom waked ud in the. col
dusk of a winter's morning -and called
to nis motner ana. ror tne ziret ume,
received no reply from that tender voice.
tsr ana dv ne reacnea out wa nana sjia
noucnea ner. ana leit mat an waa ooia.
and he climbed out of bed and wltn in
finite trouble pulled together th embers
on tne nearta ana eiariea a lira,
"liammvl mammri" he called: and.
going over to th bed, he tried to arouse
ner. and it seemea to mm inai ana was
icy to his touch. In her husbl minis
tering to the sick he had often seen his
mother wran those who were chilled in
not Dianaeia. ana so ne got am eia snswi
and heated It before , th fir and
wrapped it about her. Hours after
ward, a woman coming la found them
thus the mother cold and stark in
death, and Tom making his futile little
journey rrom lire to oea wita tne not
shawls, trying to bring back life and
warmth to ber who would never know
them more.
The woman told him as gently as she
could that, his mother waa dead. He
did not cry. He only shook off the
kindly hand laid upon hla bead, as If
no one had any part or let la hia grief.
and went over and sat in th corner, hla
thin little fingers working' each other,
and bis little old face looking older
and - more worn than ever. They
thought that he did not understand.
until some one said that as hla mother
had neither money nor rnends.v she
would hava to be buried hv the countr.
but at that Toin sprang up fiercely and
began feeling along the chinking in
the walls until he found aa old rag with
a little money tied up to on corner
of it. .. -- -
She was always a savin it to be
barled with," he said aa ba flung
It into the woman'a lap, , "she was
a-savin', and a savin' it 'cause she didn't
want th ehame of beln' burled bv the
county. She tailed me that one time
wnen we was nunsrv. -
After the humble funeral there was
some discussion as -to what should be
done with the boy. It was, of course.
Impossible for blm to be left alone In
the cabin.
T will take him borne with me until I
can make arrangements to send him to
tne noornouse. or set mm in an orohan
asylum," th clerrvman said carelessly,
but with a cry like that of a wild ani
mal that feels the trap cloaing in about
him, TOm- had leaped through the open
aoorway ana piungea into me g&tnerini
night It happened that the colone
saw the pitiful white face of th child
as n soed nv mm.
"Do not trouble yourself." n said to
in clergyman. no one nas anv claim
ion the boy. and X will look after him."
and turning down the path he started
in searco ox tne iaa. . -
On end on Tom ran. stumbllne- Over
roots of treea. fallins and cutting blm-
kcii. wiin otuy tne vague iaea Of es
caping; rrom tne . areaarui tmng tnai
threatened - him, and feeling that
somehow there must be - comfort
and protection in the spot where
they had laid his mother as there
had always been in her arms. At last
exhausted,- he reached her grave and
threw himself upon It, begging her piti
fully to come back to him, and It wa
here the colonel found him. y ,
Hush, vou are to coma and t mv
boy now. Tour mother would want
rou to, tne man said to him tenderly
Iftine the weeDine- rh!M ni1 . Tnm
turned and leaned hla noor little fnrlnrn
body up against the strong one and
sobbed himself to sleep on the colonel's
shoulder, comforted.
That was now Tom first mini to
know the colonel, and he had lived ever
aince on the big, rich stock farm, taking
his cart as he grew older lit ruhbinor.
and exercising the horses, until now it
was said that he was the best rider on
the place. Perhaps his own loneliness
had taught him a subtle sympathy for
all dumb creatures, for there was not a
horse In th stable that had not an al
most human love for the boy, and that
ne couia -not manage at will.
He nad been very' hannv aa a h!M.
but now a divine discontent had taken
possession of him. He wanted he hard--
y anew wnat. Education, the power to
away men. He wanted to be like the
colonel and the fine gentlemen who
came to see blm a man among other
men. Ltter by letter, with "infinite
patience and labor, he spelled out the
few papers that came his way, and with
slow palss taught himself to write, but
he still seemed such an Immeasurable
distance from the goal of his desire.
and it was on these things that he was
thinking as he rode to the Fourth of
July speaking. x , .
rU aia i mm ux ajni good i px, i
he said to himself, 'for they are; and
I ain't forgot that if It bsdn't been 4for
th colonel Ood bless hlm-X'd a been
sent to th poorhouse. when my mother
died. But I ain't got no education, and
ao money, and I I ain't on ef them."
with a, vague motion of bis bead toward
a party of ladles and gentlemen who
were passing blm, "sad I ain't got no
heart to laugh and dance Ilk them,"
nodding at some negroes who were sing
ing and laughing a they walked, "and
'pears like," with a 'catch in hla voloe,
"that I don't belong nowhere, and there
ain't no place for me.''- - ; - r- .. .
He had reached, the grounds where
th sneaklns was to be held in an Im
mense arbor covered with freshly cov
ered boughs, and be tied his horse and
entered wita tne crowd tnat was pusn-
lng and Jostling each other la an effort
to near tne KDeaiter. ' utners -said un
It waa the usual spread-eagle Fourth
of July oration, bnt to Tom It was -a
revelation a seer speaicing to ins un
asked Questions that tortured ills .soul
and answering them. By degreea he
drew nearer and nearer to the speakor,
a wistful - little figure, barefooted.
clothed In homespun, with tousled hair
crowning a wizened face, and always
hungering eyes fastened on tha orator,
"It Is the brightest jewel In Amer
ica's crown today, my fellow citizens,"
said th speaker in conclusion, and bis
wandering rase swept over tne indiffer
ent eomfortable, well-fed audience until
It rented on Tom's eager face; "it Is the
bnghtest gem in America a crown that
she gives to every man a chance com
mensurate witn ms ability and ambi
tion. Garfield, as a boy, walked the
towpath of a canal; Lincoln followed
th blow: Edison waa a mechanic. Near
ly: every one ot our millionaires started
life- without a Dennv. There la not a
boy within the sound of my voice," and
Tom felt that , be spoke personally to
him. "who may not be what he chooses.
It Is our proudest boast that we give
to every man a fair field and no favor."
A burst of applause . recognised the
familiar racing formula, and the speak
er aat down amidst a shower, of con
gratulations. : - : i- ."-
For that day. and many days there
after, Tom lived in an enchanted world
of dreams. He had accepted the 'speak,
era words literally, -and"? IV was only
long-afterward that the difficulties that
lie in the pathway between ambition and
success rose un to appall him. He had
gone at once to ' the colonel, explaining
as best be couidj, nis hopes ana.nesires,
and the colonel only laughed at him.
, 'Nonsense," he had said with good
natured acorn, "what good would It do
you if you could go to college like you
wish t You haven't any . friends, or
family connections, or money to help
you on, even if you could get to be a
lawyer, or a doctor, or something of
that kind. No, no, my boy, don't think
about it any more. . you have the mak
ing of a great jockey in you, and- a suc
cessful Jockey makes more money In
on year and la talked about more in
th papers than a professional man is
in two. . That's what I have always
intended vou for. and it will be a proud
day for ua oth when you carry the
wooastoca colors iirai nuw vne eiruig
Whot nulni vou dissatisfied?"
"I ; don't know; answered the boy,
"nmflthln here." laytns his hand with
a gesture of unconscious pathos on his
heart. "Something here that follows
ma all day. and wakes me up in the
night and says that I must have my
chance in the world like other men-
thai I must nave learning oooa learn
ing and be a gentlemen, or I -will die."
The colonel turned him to where the
light fell fully upon him, on the shamb
ling little figure,-oh the ugly freckled
tiLnm and sandv hair, and there was a
note Of real tenderness in nis voice as
he spoke. - ';.'-..,.., ..
"Hun ma are vou: no ns&eu. xii-
teent And you can hardly read or
writ. -Don't you see, Tom, you are too
heavily handicapped in tne .race or uie
to win?" . ; '. . " .
' , T don't never forget 1C replied" the
hv doeaediy. "but our Freda was
a:
that be bad nothing to enter in It Tom
will always believe that It waa an Inspi
ration, for suddenly while the men were
speaking of it one day, the plan had
com to him to eater his horse. Shoe
string, in th race, and ride for th
purse. They had all good naturedly
Joked him about bis runty little mare
oeing tne fastest tiling on- tne pi ace,
but no one but he knew how really
speedy she was, or that she loved her
master like a sweetheart and, obeyed
him like a dog. Tom - couldn't bave
spoken of that to any one, any more
than he could have talked to a stranger
about nis motner.
That night an odd. misspelled letter.
sadly blotted and blurred, went, to the
secretary of the Jockey club, entering
the horse Shoestring in the Sensational
Stakes, to be ridden by her owner. The
secretarv lauahed over th letter, but
aa it was aooompaniea or tne entrance
l tne savings or torts me no
enrolled the name. Tbea Tom aet to
work to training tha little mare In earn'
est Early, before it was- time to take
. ,1,. Ummmm la, A h A
day's work was done, b and Shoestring
bad tne track to tnemseives. ana xom
laid hia old little face againat her neck
and told her that she must carry him to
victory, and that th stakes were life or
oeatn. - - :
At last Tom went to the Colonel add
told him what he had done, "If I win.1
he aald."I will have enough to give me
two years or school, ana .. tnen i snau
manage somehow. All I ask is just to
aet one foot In the stlrrus." .
'By ' Jove," cried his master, "deter-";
mtnation like tnat is bound to win. and
vou shall ride In the Woodstock colors."
HUE icm wouia not agree to it. ' tie
n th
the place make
im a suit or common yeiiow- cotton,
id in spite of protest' be would wear
weighted to death that time she run
her big race ana won mo uyk iuu
In spite of all she carried.' . u
T5,r rlva HO all SUCh fOOllSh
dreaming," the colonel answered. "This
fall I'm going to give you a mount and
I shall expect to see you carry the soar
let and' gray to victory." ;
tot Tnm Vent his desires to
himself. iThs Colonel had laughed at
il," xi Aniii not run the ' risk - of
that again, yet none the less did be hold
unfalteringly to hia d !teJn"n,.2
SO to tne Dig Bniywour ' "'""V "
.ttnnded and to make a place for
himself In the world. - v t - 1
rh v I'd make a srreat Jockey."
he said to .himself,-"and I would, but
nobody ever aw tna vni wm wmiq w
ride in a race, or turned back because
the pace was too fast. I'm going to
be something better than a Jockey,
and I'm not afraid of the running."
Already they were busy preparing
horses at the farm for the fall meetinur,
and it was this, as he said afterward,
that gave him his big tip. At this meet
ing, which ws to be held In an adjacent
city, one of the handsomest purses was
rnllKd the Sensation Stakes for untried
borses, and tha Colonel openly lamented
had one of the women on
hi:
an
nothing else. "If I win. I win by my
self." h said, "and, if I fail. I will not
diraoe your colors." " - :
Th dar or tne race cawned Clear.
and bright and bracing. - By sunrise
jockey and trainers were hurrying
about giving their horses a last spin
around the track, but Tom sat quietly
on the top or . sn uprurnea -Dncaet in
Shoestring's stall, with her ocly bead
rubbed up againat nis snouiaer.. , at
knew that she waa in- perfect form and
condition , and that sb would do ber
best. . '
At last th race was called, and Tom.
a grotesque figure in his cheap yellow
clothes,: went out with the others to be
weighed in. A howl of derision greeted
mm. ' ... i
"HeUow, yellow jacket" cried a rival I
jockey In gay silk . livery, . "what can!
you dor. v " i I
"i can sung, answerea ion, nis zac i
wnite and set.
"Give us a tip, yellow jacket" cried
another: "how are vou coins- to ride?"
"I am- going to run it from send to I
eend," said Tom fiercely, "them what
don't want to rid la a race bad better
alav oat " ' it
"1 never bet" said th Colonel ;!Slow-
hr. "but I have seen a face Jllf that
fairly lift v bora past tne post.
The bell tapped for the race and Tom
and Shoeatrlng wheeled Into line. The
grand stand was a sea or race and a
flash ef color, and he felt hla pulses
thrill to the scene as If It bad been a
bugle call to a battle. He bad expected
to be frightened and excited, but now
that the time had come he felt "very
quiet and still. - In all th world It
seemed to him there was only that-41ttle
strin of racetrack and bis own heart
The bell tapped again. There was a
false start, and then the flag felt "ao,"
shouted th starter, and with a bound
the horses leased forward. Tom and his
ugly little mare looking hopeless enough,
but before the quarter stretch ad been
reached the Colonel's experienced eyes
told him . tnat (Shoestring; nad already
fallen into her stride and wa holding
ber own wita tne pest or tnem. , a mo
ment more, and he Saw the yellow
jacket flash like a meteor out of the
ruck, and up beside a big grey. -horse
that waa setting the psce in th race.
and that the two were hanging together,
neck and neck, every nerv and ' sinew
strained to the utmost . -
On and on they came bast the middle
distance, down the home stretch Into
ruier ox tne nay nors raised nis wnip
and began to flog his mount but Tom
steadied himself in his saddle . and
cropped in reins on onoestnnes neek;
"Now, old girt" he called to her,ibfJ
hurl In tha, nml, nf mt tha JIM I k
known signal ehe shot forward likt-i&n
arrow from the bow, and Tom knew in
the wild cheering that shook the grand
ana tnar ne nad won by pair a length.
There Isn't much more to telL Tom
Went te eollege, studied law, went west
and not lont ago waa elected sovernne
of his adopted state, "hands down," as
one might say. Once during the cam
paign he said, "This Isn't the first race
ever ran.' -ana tnen ne told this storv
ust as I have reseated it to , voui . T'
sn't our-state. and I sudooss wa haven't
a right to him any more, but we in Ken
tucky love a man who believes in him
self and has the nerve to back his -own
judgment and so the Colonel and I and
half the county went out to aee him In.
augurated. --.'.:'' . '-..
SMALLEST TOW
4
Blount Washington, Slaasarjiogetts,
Hundred and Fifty Years Old. .
' The smallest town in Massachusetts,
Mount Washington. Is oelebrating Its
150th anniversary amid the rejoicing of
Its 83 resident. It is hidden away in
the mountains, and IT farmers, their
sons and one or two other men compos
the voters.- . " ' '
The affairs of the community are
controlled by eight or ten farmers,
whose forefathers for generations held
the farms and handed down prestige aa
well as lands. - These men decide when
the roads need rebuilding, who shall be
postmaster, what restrictions shall be
? laced on automobiles, " who - shall ; be
own constable and . how th taxes of
the place shall be levied.
: iTpe town was settled iuv years K,
but it was not incorporated Until later.
All tbe fertile farms lie from 1,000 to
I 000 feet above tne. pas 01 tne moun
tains, which mark the boundaries -of
the town. -. '
Here some of the best farmers la
the state, are found, not- only taking
rood care of their fertile lands, . but
building good roads, keeping up the
town halt looking after their i one
church, Methodist inwdenomlnatlon, and
tumin, in renalr their one sohoolhouse.
Th. nn railroad station at Mount
Washing-torn and it must breaehd by
a wooded drive or 1, raim irom ureai
Barrineton or bV ttaf shorter drive from
the railroad station at the Copake Iron
works, - v- . ; . ,
It Is one ox ws xew ww u uie bwm,
free from debt ; It has about the lowest
taxation of alt the towns In the state.
There has never been any need ef estab
lishing a poor farm, there, for all thj
residents are, thrifty and- well-to-doii
11 untuM ins interesting Bky rn
for which a successful niav -a. iaTlot1
Ooodale sisters, who have gained
prominence : In the world . for
poetry. The Ooodale farm was built
about 100 years ago and Is bow tumb
ling to pieces. The father, -Henry
Ooodale. made a record ono by raising
400 bushels of potatoes on aa acre,
; ,ay; Otter Came Home Alone. ? .
ji' m :' From th London MalL ' 3 ,
' A curious instance of animal Instinct
and attachment la an otter la related
by a Cork correspondent. Of the Field.
A few months ago in that city a man
caught a live otter. Bringing the ani
mal home, after aome time he succeeded
la taming it and trained it to fish.
. one day ne took it to tne river for a
swim, and while there it killed -some
fish, but succeeded In getting eff the "
strap to which it waa attached. ; After
waiting some hours In a vain endeavor '
to lpduc the animal te leave tht water
the owner gave up In despair . and re-f-turned
home. . '.. -- at-.
Lp.-e that night while in bed this mart
heard a scratching at the front door of.
his cottage, and to hi great surprise
when he opened the door in walked the
otter, which he then secured. The most '.
remarkable feature of this story is the '
fact that this man lived about a mile
from the river and that bis cottage wa -on
la a row. , ' ,-- .w v