New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-06-09
NETWORK DAILY TRIBUNE, SATURDAY, JUNE O. 1881

dressed, perfectly fresh and altogether lovely MOI
far off sat the pretty wife of man now prominent
in the racing world who has the credit of spending
the turf a small fraction OF the fortune he inner
tied in the city. In the next box was another pretty
wife, more than pretty. whose husbands racing eA-
penses must be paid not out Of the fortune he has
inherited but out of that which will by-and-by
come to him with his title. He turns up presently
heavy loser on the favorite. The Princess of Wales
who is here Is not visible to US, our box
being almost under hers, which has luncheon
room to itself, and / cannot so much as tell yo"
what Her Royal Highness wore. The Prince IN
like the husband of the aforementioned beauty
leaves the course richer man than he came; won
largely, say the knowing ones, and people ike pm
the better for winning, OF like that he should. win
and not lose. OF such curious stun Is tnat sen'i
ment called British loyalty.
1t is during and after the first race, and pe1ore
the Derby that this feasting of which we have nau
an ndiscreet glimpse, goes on When the Dell pe-
gins to ring for the clearing of the course Tor inc
great contest of the day, everybody deyotes lis
energies TO that one subject. The roar OF the DOCK
making mob below us grows louder. To the last
there are men on the lawn ready 10
lay 1000 to 800 against the favorlte;
Every now and then somebody drops INTO
our box with the latest news from the rlne
or from the paddock. Ono man has just seen
Beau Brummel, and declares he never was looking
so fit. 1t happens that this particular piece Oh
news is delivered straight the face of the owner
of st. Blaise, who receives it without winking.
veteran of the turf who Is standing near has for
gotten all about the state Of his book in his I'M
bounded admiration of the vastness of the Derby
crowd,-"no such crowd before IN my time" he
proclaims and Others proclaim. rather fancy tnat
the tension of these last few minutes before the
start would be agreeably relieved by conversation
about any subject except racing. The event means
business TO a great many more men than tue pro-
fessonal betting men down there in that cage. L
verify believe | am the only man in the whoio
stand who has nothing on the race. am askeu
by nv acquaintance what / have backed,
and when I say nothing, and ask VINO
is the favorite, l perceive slight
surprise slight because like every other emotion IL
is kept well in hand.
1t was a good race, they say. am sure the finish
must have been what is called good, for the most
knowing men of our party believed Highland Chlei
had won until st. Baise's number went up; the
owner of ST. Blaise among them. There was "A
good deal of cheering as Lord Abingdon LED the
winner back. lie is Sir Frederick Johnstone's
partner, and there is oven a rumor that n royal
parsonage had an interest in the successful steed
by whom as we saw ABOVE, he landed n consider
able stake But these are mysteries into which /
dare not venture further. l say, however, that
with little more faith l might have
shared the Princes good fortune. Com
ing by train from London, | sat next a man
whom | had never seen who told he had n
gardener, an excellent gardener, to whom he paid
high wages, the whole of which hc regularly
drank "He lives and supports his large family"
continued this communicative person, "entrely on
the proceeds of his betting, and he almost never
makes a mistake. ] have often tried to get him to
tell me where his tips from, but he VIII not;
though he is always willing to share his knowledge
of any particular race with me" took courage to
ask If this singular gardener had Indicated the win
ner OF to-day's Derby. "Oh, yes" was tho anwer.
est Blaise, aud I've backed him for a lot OF money
That was my first and fear will be my last chance
of making fortune the turf g. W. 5.