, 1884-07-26
WOMEN BETTING.
Pin Money at the Races Melting
Like Wet Sugar.
Female Gambling Parties a feature
The Varied Fortunes OF yen-
Iurous Fair Ones "A
mnIron,s Risk.

cNV ia at AAAg1N ~ IL LII vi b@NA
crings on the race-course Is the enormous bold
the letting mania has acquired over the
the gentle sex The days OF wagering boxes
OF gloves or buttons are practically over, and
the kesnnes with which women pursue the
mighty dollar in the betting rings Is little
short OF marvellous TO the merely casual race
goer. Time was when ladies did not attend
races save in the company OF their husbands,
brothers, or Intimate male friends. Now
for a great number of women who go TO
racing II NAL escort Is superfuous; in fact,
he Is IN the way. There arc messengers on
the grand stand who do all the buying OF
tickets, and also the cashing In for a small
Percentage, and do It much more quickly and
reliably 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 a why amazing to behold
to the unsophisticated husband or father.
In ius milder stage tho berting fever among
women Is mther amusing, and providing the
female hacker is provided with q liberal al
lowance Of common sense, il will lead to no
particular harm. The writer number among
his acquaintance a lady whom her husband
has taken to races very frequently during the
past three or four years. He never bets him
self, but he allows her from SO to So a day
O invest She starts In every year with
charming enthusiasm to bet nationally and
carefully, so ms TO make enough money TO buy
liberal presents for husband and friends, but
In her career thus far she has failed signally.
She made her beginning this year at Sheeps-
bead bay, and impaired 10 the writer in con-
hdence that she intended 10 buy u ''eonyer-
sation CHAIR for her husband with the pro
Goods Of her Coney Stand Investments. The
FIRST three days she was out, but last
Tuesday she got u fresh supply OF
money. 1t melted like ice under a blaz-
ing July sun. Finally she begun TO grow
demorali1ed, and bought one OF the Decent
''tips,n which ran her deeper into difficulties.
Dear me-. . she said sadly, on the way home,
such luck! After the second race 4 began
to give up all hope of getting money for
chair, but l did hope that | would win sutfi-
Gent TO purchase a couple of tides. Now,
even they have flown 20 the dim distance
While this lady was unlucky, however,
them was a bevy Of fair ones betting imme-
diately behind her who picker winners
with st~artlingly uniform success. There
were four of them, and they won on six out
Of the seven race on the card. They were
adept in the use Of racing slang. They knew
all about ''pace" and Judgment. y They
praised Lewis strong finish, u and con-
Iemned Mclaughlin for having ridden War
Eagle "aIl over the piece" Altogether, they
were experts, in a measure, and they proha-
bly, had paid dearly for their experience.
They enjoyed the races, however, and the
fun and excitement of betting had as much
attraction for them as the mere gambling
part OF the transaction
AT Brighton Beach one sees the worst side
Of betting among women. Day utter day,
rain or shine, one can soc the same faces at
the lower end OF the stand, all outwardly in
liferent, bus at the same time intensely in
---..1 l. F.... ,--.tsNFA- utwl -
Jockeys. The raeing itself does not interest
them. They d. not even take the trouble OF
looking at the contests. A finish may cause
them to arise, but tits only TO see whether
the horse that they have backed is doing well.
They win or loose with the most philosophical
outward indifference. An instance occurred
a few days ago, within the bearing of tho
writer, which fully shows 10 what an extent
women will 60 that have become enslaved to
octtng. 1t was the race which Vocalic won
at ~Sheepshead bay recently. TIN finish
between him and Miss Brewster was u close
one, and from that part of the stand where
the writer sat 1t looked very much AS II the
lilly had won by a nose. Immediately behind
I've writer sat a middle-aged woman OF ma
tronly proportions and demeanor. Her face was
.snite with suppressed excitement In fact, she
was 70 nervous that she did not trust herself
o look at the race. When Miss Brewster
challenged Vocslic In the stretch she arose,
however, with big beads OF Precipitation
,tarted on her forehead. As the horses shot
past the post she clutched the writer's arm
and hoarsely inquired; What do you think
won, sirTr Miss Brewster, 1 belioye,H was
the reply. 'Aty God,' she exclaimed, don't
tell me that | nave backed the other one. .
A few minutes afterward Vocalio's number
went NJ. The woman almost cried with joy.
THAT saved me- the said, forgetting reserve
in her delight II was awny out Oh the meet
ing, and 10 get even l took $50, which my
husband had laid aside to pay the interest on
a loan. Twenty-Five dollars went on the
the other races, and, attracted by Vocalic's
light weight, ] determined to risk all that
was left on him. Had Vocalic lost, / am
afraid that | could not ave faced my hus-
band. Now, however, l win $3.50, which puts
ue nearly so TO the good on the meeting
Occurrences like this make even the most
enthusiastic male plunger look rather queerly
at his favUrite amusement or mode Of specri-
lntton. whatever he choose To call IL.