NELLY GRAY. 27 



disappeared around a bend which was covered by a 

 heavy growth of timber. From there it cut across to 

 a point where during the fishing season all of the river 

 boats stopped for a supply of spring water, and on 

 rounding it followed the stream straight away to the 

 starting point. 



"When the race day arrived all of the male popula- 

 tion of the town that could get away from work and 

 those who had no business engagements to bother 

 them, together with a swarm of small boys, many of 

 whom I am sorry to say were playing 'hookey' from 

 school, were on the river, groups of them being gath- 

 ered about huge fires which were lighted on the banks 

 and even on the ice near the finish, while the more for- 

 tunate jogged up and down in cutters or long sleighs 

 with seats on each side of the box. Each of the town 

 taverns were also represented by a refreshment sleigh, 

 at which you could get a bite to eat or a sup to drink. 



"For the first day of the meeting there was but one 

 race on the programme. In it Nelly Gray was to meet 

 Hi Hopkins' big gelding Pepper Duster and an un- 

 known that had drifted into town under the cover of 

 darkness. For three seasons Pepper Duster had had 

 everything his own way and Hi was vain enough to 

 think that his run of luck would continue. The night 

 before the race while he and his cronies were talking 

 it over, Hi offered to bet $10 that he would distance 

 Nelly Gray and every man in the party believed it. 

 When the horses were called Pepper Duster, as I now 

 remember him, looked a little the worse for wear, as 

 notwithstanding his speed Hi made him earn his oats 

 when there was no racing to be done. Nelly Gray 

 looked very cheap along side of him as she jogged by 



