THE SOUTH AUCKLAND STEEPLECHASE,

Waikato Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 3036, 31 December 1891, Page 3

THE SOUTH AUCKLAND STEEPLECHASE,

IWrnt Ai'Oi.OGTKs to thk Shade of Li.vnHAV GOIIHON. | "lUn< lliu Colonel" cried Carter, "that bay nei»r the ntaiter, Ab \n: j.uuitily Htood with one hand on Ins "There a nothinc elso in it ! The Colonel must win it! Jack Ran rides to win. llius I K»t Ilie tip. Only four in tin) race—the big steeplechase. — Alec. Williams, on Yardman, in yellow and Hack The Colonel, a bay, roils by gallant Jack K" c . , , , Charlie Weal on black bcalthcen, the Waikato cr.'.ck. Next to Wack Scalthecn (many lost, on the spalpeen), Came Byers on Justice—bine j icket white 8 a 11 — I didn't, much fancy the old chestnuts chance ; ho . Wa-s fail! to jump well though wanting in da.-h. Ad im By r- led the way o'er the tir-t fence ttiat. day Charli" Weil cl"so bohind bun, as all must have seen Fullnwu I I'y V'.miiiiaii, who, then ptillmtr leir I, llial. Just rii-a as Wed lit on the luindsoinfl Scatihwen. Kae's mount pulling double, cleared the jump without trouble, Then J.istico c-iina down at tho ditch and sod wall, liyers l"d y shaken, I thought, though inist diiin, Ila I iketi lii-j neck so severj was his fall. Thon an .so a lnvl shout when old Ju.-tice cloaied out. And wo thought he'd no longer the "gliost"! a, chanc -.'' >Sculth' en 11' ai-.-d Mm stiff wnttle scaring Edinnr.ils' cat'la (All tnis c mid bj seen from the stand at a But just then yon know the brave eon of "Old Joe," Caught Ju.-ttco and followed though the the act seemed absurd ; Thon Y .rdinan pu-foice must run off the Colll's", Giving rlaco to tho C ilonol, who had been i unninu third. Then tho yellow and black got once more on the t rack, And Sealtheeo took command as they c 'tue up t 'ie straight; All j'.inipinij like deer, without falter or fear, Hut Rte led the hunt as they swept past, the Kate. Tho bight was just mind as they dished pa- D fee -t.uid, A cloMi wou'd li .ve j icks, horses a id all, Thethue in a elutiip took the widu w;ttcrj ■ i m i ■, Then cleared ditch and wattle, log fence and sod wall.

Then Jack Uac came to grief—but to our Ki'.'.»t r.-iief— (Ju.-t: as Williams >n Yardman cleared w.ner anrl fur/.-). Wo thoULdil. Jack wai crush'd, every muruiiir w i" hushed, When he ro«e like a flash and gave Colonel the spurn. I felt my bloo 1 curdlo when ho struck that low hurdle, [ saw soft, eyes filling with t»ars I declare, (Jack deseived better luck for his coolness and pluck, When ho inoumed again what a shout ront tho air !) Aloe. Williams though plucky was very unliu'kv, For when Scdtheen came down, nnd old Yardman refused, Twas easy to sw that the geldings big knee Brought him down at tho logs badly shaken and bruised. Then Rro on tho Colonel, by a piece of infernal Bad hick got a spill at the wattle a,'am. Wc thought he was killed, and with fear our hearts thrilled, Dut he tried to re-mount, though quite dizzy with pain. With courage heroic, that equestrian Stoic Again tried to mount, though sick, dunned and faint ; Tis but seldom I pray, but I did f«-r Jack llx "' Though I'm more of a sinner. F fear, than a saint. I prayed for my money '! Nay, not so, my sonny, Twas no such main motive that urompt id my p aver ; _ Stay your cold cynicism, twas Raes heroism 'That uuido mo turn saint for the nonce— this 1 bwear. Adam Byers persevering on tho chestnut canio fte-rins/, Aud, followed by Scultheen, was l«i through tho Rate, Whon, by the Eternal, Rae riding the Colonel. Came cant-ring along by himself up the straight. We stia'nt soon forget him, or the ovation that met him. As hs rod" pa t the srr ndstana and on throiieh the crowd ; Those wild deaf'niog cheers still ring in my ears Of the reception we guve him, Rae must have felt proud. TIMRANGI. Hamilton, 2'ith December, 1 SOI.