The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-06-23

mediate possibility.
Sell livery blessed stick! Sweep out the
whole bag O. tricks Pawn the coat aft yer
back An crack the biin on to the Make
shift Colt" was Jimmys advice.
found on inquiry that l had, curiously
enough drawn tine field" in big sweep
stakes at the Brush and Palette. As the
Makeshift Colt was a name unknown to the
lists, it had not been putamong those drawn,
and consequently it belonged to me as a
holder of the field" ticket.
That's yours, thin, anyway" said Jimmy,
referring to the sweep [ accepted this draw
ing, for my own part as an omen of success,
l was thoroughly with Jimmy now.
had little enough money; but | quickly
sold or pawned every available article that l
owned, even going so far as to raise money
upon the few bits of furniture and studio
effects that had. I made up purse OF about
forty sovereigns, which really represented
every stick or rag in my possession, except
what stood upright in.
Then my Irish monitor and myself pro-
ceeded to visit certain bookmakers. A re-
mark that the first of them made to US was
substantially repeated by the rest.
Never heard of your fancy till this morn
ing. Gave hundred against him to one or
two parties that came to get on him. Had to
look up the Guide" to see if there was such
a horse at all. But can't give quite the long
price again. Make it eighties to one for
you"
1 put on ESQ at these odds, and I also
placed" the colt at fifteen to one, putting
on 81 in that way. Jimmy was enraptured;
for if the colt carried off the event. l should
win f2,500-a mint of money in our eyes,
He himself had put on all he could raise
how much exactly do not know.
Its foine time we'll be havin present
ly" he said. Wont the boys open their
eyes whin you an me shows oar pile? And
see what base of operations we'll have! Be
r1f NALL h. os
yit! Good luck to the cout!"
l confess | had my misgivings, although
the gambling fever had come over me and
impelled me to risk my little all upon this
horse. To me it was grand coup indeed.
1t meant so much, You see, for either L
should come out an actual capitalist, pos
SCISSOR of sum that to me seemed almost
boundless veal th-''a base of operations" as
Jimmy called it-or | should be completely
and utterly broken.
You may imagine the state of mind 1 was
mat one moment seeing simply golden
prospect before me, anon seized with the
dismalest doubts and fears. And the follow
ing day my excitement grew hotter yet, for
in all the papers the Makeshift Colt was now,
for the first time, quoted in the betting, and
apparently he had come into favor, as the
price against him had fallen to fortes to one.
Still more reassuring was the fact that two
sporting papers gave the Makeshift Colt as
one OF their three probable winners. The
secret was a secret no longer.
l now got into a wild, dclirious ecstasy of
expectation. You can we'll imagine how |
felt | went so far as to telegraph to that
relative of mine, alleging that | was in want,
and had sore need of his help. | also Dor
rowed some five pounds here and there and
Cracked it on" with the rest.
My relative evidently smelled a rat, how
ever. He was a man of the world. as the
phrase goes, and had low opinion of me,
iNh T to ,faeu
wholly unwarranted. He wired in reply:
believe you want to bet on Derby. Will
send fl0, but not until Saturday morning,
when expect it,"
However, on showing his telegram to the
landlord of the Brush and Palette, that wor-
thy publican readily advanced me the f10.
l thus sold" my kind relative you will OBJ
serve, through the instrumentality of the
1 general guide. philosopher and friend OF good
| Bohemians.
AT last came the eventful morning, and
Jimmy and 1 found ourselves in a brake
with some dozen others. driving from our
| pub down to EPSON. / need not say that
| had put on the bulk of my SO, getting
forty to one and eight to one for a shop"
A long price still but the colt had not come
into general favor much and indeed actually
started at little below those odds.
All! | don't think I shall ever forget that
| day No, sir The fearful agitation | was in
| has impressed every detail of it indelibly on
my memory Consider. ! stood to win
e3fs (which meant to me a wife, home,
substance, co. afort responsibility, business.
On the other hand, a black abyss of woe
seemed TO open to my imagination.
We stood on the hill opposite the grand
stand and watched the preparations for the
race. Jimmy, the boisterous, had suddenly
| quieted down into grim, white-faced, eager
eyed silent, spectator. / was so agitated that
! | had to lie on the turf My head swan
| 1nit tod I
all over as if l had palsy.
| Among the mass Of horses marshaling IN
| to rank for the start we had eyes but for one.
| Among the many hues of their Jockeys
silks we sought out the colors that sgnified
our particular choice Purple and black
! there they were; and we gazed at them fever
ishly, for the noble animal that bore them
carried also all our hopes and fears.
They are off The race has begun, and
the decision of my fate is at hand. / see the
brilliant bed of colors stream past and away.
| / hear the intense murnur of the crowd and
] stand as gambler stands, awaiting the
cast OF the die.
Oh my God how it all comes back to me-
though ten eventful years have passed since
that day Surely such terrible agitation of
mind as shook me then is madness-madness
neither more nor less.
The field comes sweeping round 'the Cor
ner," tailed off into extended line. and down
the hill toward home come the horses, in one
! last tremendous effort jocky, whose col
ors are scarlet and yellow bright and vivid,
leads the way, working with bit and spur
and whip, and seeming to carry his steed
on beneath him. The Others are close be-
hind, but their colors are strange to my
straining eyes
Great heavens Where is the Makeshift
Colt? Where is the racer to whom | have
pinned my faith? As the foremost horses
come in sight hear the tremendous, frenzied
roar that bursts up from the mighty con-
course of spectators. For a moment my
heart seemed to stop beating. 1t is death to
me to hear that shout:
"Cremornel Oremorne, Cremorne winsi"
But no. Out from the ruck OF horses be-
hind. Just as they came down from Totem