Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1884-07-04
WOMEN BETTING AT The RACES.
Pin Money Melting Like Wet Sugar-Fe-
male Gambling Parties n Feature.
The Hgrr

lime WAS NItu ldGleS Ntu not dttcLiu ldNSS
save in the company of their husbands,
brothers or intimate male friends Now
for great number of women who 90 racing
a male escort is superiiUouS; in fact he is
in the way. There are messengers on the
grand stand who do all the buying of tickets
aud also the cashing in for small percen:-
age, and do it much more quickly and rell-
ably than the ordinary male race goer can
do. The consequence is that regular hen
parties are now made up for the races, and
pin money goes in . way amazing to behold
TO the uusophistica;ed husband or father.
In its miiier stage the
Bcttin. Fever
among women-is rather amusing, and pro
yiding the female hacker is provided with a
liberal allowance OF common sense, Ii will
lead TO no particular harm The writer
numbers among his acquainanccS a lady
whom her husband has taken 20 races very
frequently during the past three or four
years. lie never bets himself, but he allows
her from $50 to SIS a day to invest She
starts out in every year with charming en-
thuSiaSm TO bet nationally and carefully, so
as to make enough money TO buy liberal
presents Tor husband and friends, but in her
career thus far she has failed s'gnally. Sh"
made her beginning this year at SheeP5held
Bav, and Impaired to the writer in conn
dence that she intended to buy "converSa-
ton chain" for her husband with the pro
ceeds of her Couey Island investments. The
first three DAYS she was out, but last Tucsd y
she cot a fresh
supply of Money.
1t melted like ice under q blazing July sun.
Finally she began to grow demoralized- and
bought one of the twenty-five cent tips,
which ran her deeper into difficulties Dear
me, she said sadly, on the way home, such
luck. After the second race began to- give
up all hope of getting money for chair,
but did hope that would win sufficient to
purchase couple of tides. Now, even they
have flown TO the dim distance"
While this lady was unlucky, however,
there was bevy of fair ones betting imme-
diately behind her who picked" with start
ling uniform success. There were four OF
them, and they won on six out of the seven
races on the card. They were adopts in the
use of racing slang. They knew all about
pace" and Judgment They praised
Lewis strong finish and condemned Nc
Laughlin for having ridden War Eagle "all
over the place" Altogether, they were ex-
pertS, in a measure, and they probably had
paid dearly for their experience. They en-
loved the races, however, and the fun and
excitement of betting had as much attrae-
ton for them as the mere gambling part OF
the transaction.
At Brighton Beach
one sees the worst side of betting among
women. Day after day, rain or shine, one
can see the same faces at the lower end o!
the stand, all outwardly Indifferent, bat at
the same time intensely interested in form
condition. weights and Jockeys. The racing
Itself does not interest them. They do no;
even take the trouble OF looking at the con
tests. A finish may cause them to arise;
but it Is only to see whether the horse that
they have backed is doing well. They win
or lose with the most philosophical outward
An instance occurred few
DAYS ago. within the>hearing of the writer,
which fully shows to what ap extent women
will 90 that have become enslaved to bet
ting. Il was the race which Volcalic won
at SheepShead Bay last Saturday. The fin
ish between him and Miss Brewster was a
very close one, and from that part of the
stand where the writer sat it looked very
much as if the fly had won by a nose lp-
mediately behind the writer sat middle
AGED woman of matrOnly proportions ard
demeanor. Her face was white with sup
pressed excitement In fact, she was so
nervous that she did not trust herSelfto look
at the race. When Miss Brewster challenged
SolcaliC in the stretch she arose however
and big beads Of .perSpiration started from
her forehead As the horses shot past the
post she clutched the writer's arm and
hoarsely inquired What do you think
won, SIR" Misc Brewster, | believe was
the reply. NV God" she exclaimed, dom
tell me that | have backed the other one "
A few minutes after, Nolcalic number went
up. The woman almost cried with JOY.
That saved me, she said, forgetting her
reserve in her delight. Il was away out on
the meeting. and to get even ! took so,
which my husband had laid aside to pay the
interest ona loan. Twenty five dollars went
on the other races, and attracted by Volca-
is ; light weight | determined to risk all
that was left on him. Had Volcalic lost, |
am afraid that could not have. faced nv
husband. Now, however, win $3.50, which
puts me nearly $50 to the good on the meet
ing.
Occurrences like this make even the most
enthusiastic male pluuger look rather queer
IL at his favorite amusement or mode OF
speculation, whatever he chooses to call it.