The day book. [volume], March 17, 1913, Image 14

About The day book. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1911-1917

Image provided by: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Library, Urbana, IL

                
"Just this: I'm sick andjtired of the
life I'm living, and I'm Agoing, to
change it. Another things if Ekja and
Bert had a few hundred dollars ahead
as a nest egg, they could get jnarried.
Well, I'm, goingto earn' it." -
"How?" challenged old John de
cisively. ,
'.By working, of course. "Why; I'm
spry as, a pricket, for all my sixty odd
years!. Just the thing struck me in a
city; japer today. Here it is."
Dknief uhf plded-.the'newsiiape'r and
pointed to - a" certain ''paragraph, It
readi .with an address: "Wanted, a
man used .to the care and training-of
horses."
'JDont"you understand?" demand
ed Daniel. "I didn't spend ten yers
on the ranch out west not to under
stand horse folks.. Why, I'd take sec
ond place- to no man in that line'.
Here's just the Job for me, and I'm
going to reach for it. Have you any
money, John?" v
"I have just five dollars, put away
for a special purpose," replied Davis
hesitatingly.
"This is the special purpose then,"
insisted Daniel. "You lend it to me.
It will do for a.startenJEirst pay day
it comes back to you promptly."
So it was arranged. That night
Daniel packed a small valise, wrote
a note to Els'a, slipped it under the
door of her room, and prepared to
make a truant flight. He could not
afford to take any risks of detention,
or speedy pursuit, so he had prepared
to vacate his home in tru"6' runaway
boy fashion.
"Just as' they do in the story
books!" chucked the excited old
schemer, as he tied a clothes line
to the head of his bed and cautiously
opened the window.
Thenhe-let down the valise. Next
his own thin but wiry form. He
grinned and laughed all. the way to
the railroad depot. It was all so jolly,
ybmantic and inspiriting.
But a, severe disappointment met
the old man when he visited the ad
vertiser in the city next morning.. He
was.infQrmed that the position had
" This made Daniel somewhat. ghimr
He wandered about the .city planning?
to apply for some other positionand.
came across a fcig circus tent. The
animation and novelty canted him:
off a prudent balance -and he bought
a ticket.
The , glare and the tinsel made old
Daniel Jforget his troubles. When the
horses came on he was lifted to the.
seventh heaven of delight Then;
came the wild horse, Mazeppa, and
the trained mustang, Armida. Twice
fhp nlrl man amused thfivP.rnwd ahout
him by shouting, directions to bung- "s
ling trainers m tne ring, wnen tne
untamable broncho, Wildfire, was an
nounced, he fairly rose up in his se'atc
The ringmaster offered fifty dollars
to the oneould could 5ount Wildfire-
and ride him around the ring.
A heap of fun followed. The audi
ence roared, as candidate after candi- .
date was chased over the ropes or
flung irfto the sawdust. The ringmas
ter proudly and defiantly raised the
price 1"$100 for the skilled horse
man wh6 coulcLsubdue Wildfire."
"I'll take, that!" yelled the excited
Daniel, whipping offi his coat and
making a nimble leapt
"Whoop!" "Good for old Methuse
lah!" "Go it, grandpa!" and s'houts
and yells mingled in a riotous chorus.
Old Daniel fixed his eye on Wildfire,
full oflhe pluck and vim of the old
ranch days. He made a rush. Wild
fire butted at him. He sprang aside.'
Wildfire stuck out with .his hoofs. '
Then with a lightning-hke movement
Daniel shot out both hands, one to
the nose, one to the ear of the bron
cho. A spring leap, and he was on
the back of the whirling animal.
Around the ring once, twice, three
times and the audience fairly hoot
ed themselves hoarse, while the ring
master looked blank.
"Say; you're the best card ever
came into this show," said the latter,
as. he-placed ten -crisp bank bills, in
the hand of the successful broncho