The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1886-09-30

Ns Il va bL1LlS - - t-tS.1 4 HGD 4EsSs
mo, I'm not betting today" was
the reply of 4 sporting man in answer
TO an inquiry from another of his ilk
whether he had bon@ht any pools on
the races
'Busted?" was another Iaconic in
quiry.
No, but laced one of my shoes up
wrong this morning, Ii's bad sign.
I'll let 'em alone TODAY"
''Are you superstitious?'
81 frankly confess that | am" he re-
piled, as he lit cigar. land | don't
know of sporting man or gambler
that is not superstitious. and. further
more, | do not believe there is Il hu-
man being living who is not OF
course. some are more so than others,
but take gamblers and horsemen as Il
class and you will find that each one
has his own pcrui;lr fuIp. Now, this
morning | laced my shoe M wrong. If
| had left it that way il would have
been lucky day for me. but didn't:
unlaced it, and I'll bet two 10 one if
bought pool on Il horse he would
break his neck before he came under
the string"
mind giving me some of your cXperi-
Gnce? What do you consider Il lucky
omen?"
You want to know what | call a
lucky omen, ell? That's Just rs the
idea strikes me. When was in New
York last summer | used to count white
horses. Say [ would be standing at
the corner of Fulton street and Broad
Il 60. 81, I
mad onc-and time myself and count
the number of white horses that turned
from Broadway into Fulton street dur
ing five minutes time. | sometimes
would 90 on the odd numbers and
sometimes on the even. Like this: If
1 made up my mind on even horses
and an even number went by during
the five minutes then | would be lucky,
and vice versa"
Il have heard of gamblers visiting
fortune tellers for tips. Do YOU ever
visit them?"
''Many time, sir. Here's one in
stance. | am red-hot republican. and
was backing jim Blaine to shcol and
gone, when | went one day to see for
tune teller. Says she: You have been
making foolish bets; 90 and bet the
other way all that YOU havc-all the
money you can bee or borrow | told
her was betting on Blaine. and she
said: Stait. Then she went into another
room and came out in about minute.
Cleveland will be elected as sure as YOU
sit there in that chair. but he will never
serve his term out That was para
LIVER, but | took stock in ii, for she
never fooled me in her life. | hedged
and bet on Grover, all on her account.
and made $1,000 clear above my hedge
and OF Kelly, the bookmakcr. Here's
another instance from tie same wom-
an: | had been playing in hard luck,
till only had SI2 left. | went to her
and told her how was fixed and that
wanted Il tip on the races. She told me
to read the names OF the horses to her.
| did so, and when | got through the
list she said: 'TlfOrd is the only one |
am sure of; bet your money on TIlford.'
| went down to the track and wnen the
horses went to the post there were only
four tickets out on him. That was Il
bonanza, you know, If he won. | bought
one 81 ticket. The track was 4 regular
duck pond, slu~h up To the horses
knees. TilfOrd came in last. Oh, |
forgot; he was entered for two races
that day. The next race lie was in |
heard that Mike DAILY, who owned
him. wanted to scratch him, but the
judges wouldn't have it. That wasn't
very encouraging. but | stuck to him
and put my last flyer on him. His
jockey famed him every jump. and
brought him in winner by two
lengths. | got live hundred ood dol
lars for my - ticket SO much for for
tune-tellers' tips. Some fortune-tellers
that has it naturally born in them, and
they get there us 4 general rule"
You gamble with cards, do you?"
''Oh, yes; | make my living as a
sporting man.
"poes your superstition affect you il
playing cardsF"
"Yes, indeed. If l am going to play
cards for money always hunt up a
beggar and give HIM some money for
luck. l have walked some times two
miles to find Il beggar, but | don't have
to do it here. There is one on every
corner. know Il gambler in New
York who goes daily to an Italian on
Green street, who has these little cana
ries who tell fortunes by pulling an
envelope out of pack. He always fol-
lows the advice of the bird, and | have
actually seen him shed tears over some
of the slips he got, not from grief, but
from vexation, if it went against his
grain"
"Have You ever been at any of the
European gambling placcs?'
"Oh, yes, ! was at Monaco"
GLOW does the old thing work there?"
"Oh, the same as here OF anywhere
else. suppose when you were Il boy
at school, and chose sides for town-ball
you chose up for innings by splitting on
stick and calling wet or dry for
choice, haven't you?'
"Yes, many time"
"Ha, hal Well. one evening | did
the same thing ut Monaco. l threw up
n stick and called dry and dry it was.
l quit 10000 francs winner at mid
night. | have had gamblers tell me
that they had acquired the habit of try
ing their luck in different ways. but |
claim it's not Il habit-it'S nature, born
in Il man, and it never comes out. Why,
] know dozens of people who laugh ut
superstition that will have Il regular
case of the dumps if they see the new
moon over their right shoulders for the
first time. They think if they see 1t
over the left shoulder and make a wish
they will get their wish. '-SaH Fran
cisco dTd.