Auburn Maine School of Commerce - Ray Yearbook (Auburn, ME)

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THE RACE , The first time I ever saw Edgar Welch was at the Poland Fair in the early fall of 'l7. The first impression that Igot was a lasting one, however, as I think it over a bit I guess that Edgar really was quite a character to put it mildly. Well on this particular day I had just bought my tkket and was getting ready to go onto the grounds when I heard the shouting of a man still down the road apiece. WGet-up, Get-up,W the man called to his horse. nNow what's up?n I said to myself. Then I realized that the horse and wagon were coming down the old gravel road at a neck-breaking rate. Not until the driver was inside thegates did he pull up his horse. It was Charles Berry, the local horse jockey. My curiosity got the best of me and I went over to where the driver had pulled to astop under the large maple tree. nWhat in tarnation areyou racing your horse for? JIasked NI'm racing Edgar Welch,W was the breathless reply. nWho is Edgar Welch?W nOh, he Rattlesnake. guy. I just Tripp Lake. about now. N hat kind of a horse has he got?W NAin't got no horse.U UNO horseln UNO, he's running.U WRunning? Who are you trying to kid?n USO help me, it's true.W Nwhat kind of man could with a horse?W I scoffed. nListen, there he comes now.W Spank! Spank! Spank! lives up onldttle Kind of a queer raced him around He should be here I'U.l'1 Before my very eyes I saw him. Edgar came into sight running as fast as he could. Each time his feet touched the ground they made a spanking sound. He was puffing and blowing like a horse with the heaves. As he came up to where we stood I had my first close look at him. If I hadn't seen him with my own eyes I woulmrt have believed it--but seeing is believing. . Edgar's face was covered with a week's growth of thick whiskers. He wore a pair of trousers and a shirt, both of which were in shreds. On one foot he wore a rubber boot and wore an sole was on the other foot he old shoe on which the flapping and the heel was worn Over n A crowd had gathered to see this event, some of them had simply come to get a look at a man who would race a horse for miles. NHow d'ya feel, Edgar?U asked Charlie. UGood,W Edgar replied. WHow about a drink of coal orange soda, Edgar?H someone asked. WI'll pay fer all you can drink.M Qf course Edgar drank all he wanted. When I left he was finishing his tenth bottle of orange soda. Yes, sir, Edgar sure was queer. Although I saw hhnneny times after this, that first glimpse of him remains with me to this day. --Allison Strout