Polytechnic High School - Caerulea Yearbook (Long Beach, CA)

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bv aonmzzr is- cn Anz on the best of terms, as shown by the familiar address of Charley which VVorral employed towards his boss. That morning Bennet had called J oe into his library to give hi111 instructions concerning the coming Grand Sweepstakes. As usual after Joe had received his orders the two 111en began a conversation on the racing game in general and finally ended up at their favorite topic of whether a horse could come back after a mnnber of years off the track. Bennet generally won the argument and J oe went into a deeply thoughtful mood, but this morning Joe was thinking more deeply than had been his habit. In his mind he reviewed all his past life and experience on the track, how worry had 111ade l1i1n old before his time, how Bert Foot had died from over effort, and how he and the Ace of Spades had quit the turf together, and how they had both kept in good physical condition through their time of inaction. Suddenly VVorral came out of his reverie and jumped up so violently as to startle Bennet out of his reading. I have it, Charley. A real thoroughbred can come back. Illl prove it to you. The Ace of Spades is coming back. The Ace is too old, Joe. And besides who will ride for you?,, asked Charley in a manner which showed that he thoughtnhis stable manager was joking. ' ' UNO, Charley, I mean it. The Ace is old, fourteen years, but he has a young heartf' uVVho will ride for you ?'l Bennet repeated his question. ' '4Nobody,ll ride for mef' snapped back Joe, angry at Bennetas rather bantering tone. 'Tll ride for myself. No one'll want to ride the Ace, because they think he's too old and broken to have a chance. But I'm not too old to ride 'im again myself. VVe'll show 'em all. Old Ace of Spades can come back and so can Old Joe VVorral. 'fDon't you laugh, Charley, I mean it. We'll show you. Don't you worry,', and Joe angrily stalked out of the presence of his employer, who immediately went into a spasm of laughter over his friendls defiant attitude. All day Charley Bennet smiled over what Thirteen ...MH

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'l'HE'II'lDOSSIBIfE'lf0I1EBAClC O, Joe, it's impossible for any horse to come back. Absolutelyeimpossiblef' - But a thoroughbred, a real thoroughbred, I mean. Charley, I know that a real horse, a horse with a heart, can come back. 'LYou5ll find you're wrong, Joe. Charley Bennet, owner of America's greatest racing stables l as well as of some of the world's finest and fastest horseiiesh, smiled patronizingly and shrugged his shoulders. A shake of the head as if he were firmly convinced that Bennet was wrong was Joefs only answer for the famous turfman's conclud- ing .state1nent. Then Joe seemed to slip into a deeply thoughtful mood. Bennet picked up one of the books that were so plentiful in his vast library and began to read. Joseph VVorral had been Joe's name when he had won temporary fame and fortune for himself and his two animals by winning racc after race ten yea1's before. He had maintained for two years an almost unbroken string of victories. Then his two horses started on the down grade. They wanted to run, but they had about spent the number of races that we1'e in them. VVOl'1'3l,S fortune was spent on laying bets on his horses, who now lost in practically every race. But Joe kept on with the hope of one last chance, of one of his thorough- breds taking a big stake. The chance, as usually happens, didn't come. Then Bert Foote, the older of Joels two horses, died. A bad heart caused by the strain of continual racing had caused the death of the great horse. Joe knew it and for a month he mourned the death of the animal, for a month he was actually sick over the thought that he had run his horse to death. Finally he came out of his worry,, counted his resources, and determined to get a job and settle down with his remaining horse, the Ace of Spades. Charley Bennet, hearing of this determination of Joe's, had hired him as general manager of the well known Bennet stables. VVhen- ever Bennet wanted advice he called on Joe to give it. The two were 711067116

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CABR,ULEA'Z5 he considered the excellent joke of Joe and the Ace of Spades coming back. But Bennet began to take the joke more se1'iously when he received a letter the next 1no1'ning addressed in Joe's cramped but legible hand. The letter read: lNIy dear lNIr. Bennet-- A Will you please grant me a three weeks, leave of absence or else I can quit for good if you desire it. I ani going to enter Ace of Spades in Grand Sweepstakes. I do 11ot want to do that and have management of your entries also. lNIy assistant Thoren is an excellent man with horses. Respectfully yours, J. Wo1'ral 4'And only two weeks to the Grand Sweepstakes, and Joe about the only man who can carry my colors to a winf' muttered Bennet after reading the note. But I canlt refuse hi1n,', he said aloud, he has done too much good work for me. Besides it will prove to hiin the impossibility of a comeback for either the Ace of Spades as a racing horse or Joe VVorral as a jockey. Yet Bennet admired Joe's attempt at a return to active participation on the track. He dis- patched a 11ote to Wo1'1'al who was overjoyed at its message. J oe: You are hereby given three weeks' vacation. Good luck to you. If you need any cash say so. lNIonth's advance salary is enclosed. - Your friend, Charles Bennet That advance in salary looked good to J oe. It afforded him the wherewithal to reach Albany and the CI1t1'y fee for the Grand Sweep- stakes there. His own savings would support him and his horse until he returned to his old job, and also leave him a couple of hundred to put on the Ace of Spades. Fourteen