158 CANADIAN TURF EECOLLECTIONS 



hours* search the stable was found, and in reply to en- 

 quiries Jack was pronounced fine as a fiddle and in good 

 tune. Animated by the report an attack was made upon 

 the pool-box. As many as six horses were sold out as 

 choices, the balance in the field, Jack's average quotation 

 being about four dollars. 



At this rate all the tickets that were sold, about forty 

 in number, were secured and mutual congratulations in- 

 dulged in respecting the coup likely to eventuate in the 

 afternoon. The race meeting was being held under the 

 auspices of the Oswegatchie Agricultural Society and a 

 large crowd of people were present. 



On the track, preparatory to the start, quite a little 

 additional speculation was indulged in at about the same 

 odds, and as the horses faced the starter, Jack's actions 

 were those of a well-mannered race horse. The distance 

 was two miles over eight hurdles, and at the drop of the 

 flag Brown, according to orders, moved about his busi- 

 ness, and before a quarter of a mile was run had a clear 

 length the lead of the party. At the stand once around 

 the half-mile track Jack was three lengths to the good, 

 running under a strong pull. At the mile he was four 

 lengths on the lead, and running past the judges' stand at 

 the mile and a half he still kept his place and, bar acci- 

 dent, it looked a brown stone front against a log shanty 

 that the Barber would shave the party. As he moved to 

 the turn on the last round Viley and N. P. made their run, 

 and Mr. Grand signalled to Brown to give the horse his 

 head and send him along. No sooner was this done than 

 Jack moved away from his company like a quarter horse 

 and the issue showed a dead certainty, but Brown, either 

 through carelessness or over anxiety, touched him with 

 the spur, when, quick as a flash, he swerved to the fence 

 and commenced a hammering match on the boards with 

 his heels. 



So ended the coup, and the $1,400 of winnings that a 

 minute before had been almost in the pocket, faded away 

 like many other such fabrics of similar vision. 



