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FEATHER STONES LUCK. One of the greatest racing disappointments of the season thus far has been the stable of Arthur Featherstone, the Chicago millionaire, who was supposed in the early spring to have nearly every stake event in which he had entered at his mercy. Mesmerist, the sou of Albert and Hoodoo, had been heralded far and wide as the coming 3-year-old king of the turf, despite the fact that not a single one of the sires get had proven to be a stayer in good company, while in Missionary the stable was thought to have another world-beater of the same age. Among the fillies Indian Fairy was looked upon as being practically unbeatable, while Black Fox was said to be an equine marvel as a 2-year-old. The stable was taken east with a great flourish of trumpets. At the little Kentucky station from which they were shipped a great crowd assembled to see them off, and the oldest turfmen in the bluegrass region declared that a grander lot of thoroughbreds had never before been assembled under one management in the history of "old Kentuck." The much-touted Mesmerist proved to be the biggest sort of a dis -appointment. He was as faint hearted as a basli -ful lover, and could not win from even a fair selling plater when the distance was six furlongs or over. His first time out stamped him as be-*ng a counterfeit of the worst sort, and he has done nothing 6ince to change the opinion tha t was then formed of him. Missionary, the royally bred son of Hanover, that cost Mr. Feathe r-stone ,500 as a yearling, has proven to be but little faster than a cart horse up to the present time. Indian Fairy was early put on the shelf for repairs and Black Fox went wrong after showing in his first race that he was one of the best 2-year-olds of the year. Following this came three suspensions for the stable jockey, Winnie OConnor, who is generally regarded as one of the best of the eastern jockeys. Many owners would lone ago have become discouraged by such a combination of misfortunes and disappointments. Not so Mr. Featherstone. however, .who has gone ahead and done the best that he could with the other members of his string, and who now announces his intention of following the fashion set by Lorillard, Keene, Croker, Cor-rigan and others and of racing in England next season. That the Chicago man will take a strong Btable across the big pond is not to be doubted. He has always been noted as a liberal buyer, money being no object to him when a racehorse strikes his faucy, and he may therefore be expected to take with him on his trip one of the strongest and best 6tables that money will buy.— Exchange.
