Salt Lake evening Democrat. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1885-1887, 1886-03-19
SUGGESTIONS OF OLD SPORTS.
Some singular Fanctes of People
Who Live BY Plucking the
Public.

Some singular FanCAcS VI feOpl
Who Live BY Plucking the
Public.
ssNo Pm not betting to-day" wa
the reply of sporting maj
in answer to an inquiry from another o
his ilk whether he had bought any pools
in the race last Saturday.
Busted ?" was another laconic inquiry
"No, but I laced one Of my shoes w
wrong this morning. It's bad sign
I'll let 'em alone to-day"
"Are you superstitious
ri frankly confess that | ann" he re-
piled, as he lit cigar, land don'l
know of a sporting man or gambler thai
is not superstitious; and, furthermore,
do not believe there is human being
living who is not OF course some are
more so than others, but take gamblers
and horsemen as a class and you will find
that each one has his own peculiar quilp.
Now, this morning 1 laced my shoe up
wrong. If 1 had left il that way it would
have been q lucky day for me, but l
didn't; unlaced it, and I'll bet two to
one that if bought horse he would
break his neck before he came under the
string.".
"That's quite interesting Would you
mind giving me some OF your expert
ences? What do you consider lucky
omen?" - 'a
"You want to know what call lucky
omen, Ell? That's just as the idea strikes
me. When was in New York last sum-
mer l used to count white horses. Say 1
was standing at the corner of Fulton
street and Broadway. I'd take out my
watch-when I had one-and time my
self and count the number of white horses
that turned from Broadway into Fulton
street during five minutes time: l would
sometimes go on the odd numbers and
sometimes on the even. Like this: If 1
made up my mind on even horses and
the even number went by during the five
then 1 would be lucky, and vice
versa"
~ have heard Of gamblers visiting for
tune tellers for tips. Do you ever visit
them ?"
"Many a time, sir. Here's one in
stance. am red-hot Republican, and |
vas backing Jim Blaine to sheol and |
zone, when went one day to see for
une-teller. Says she: You have been
making foolish bets; 60 and bet the other
way all that you have-all the money
'ou can beg or borrow l told her was
,etting on Blaine. and she said: Wait
'hen she went into another room and
anne out in about a minute. Cleveland
viii be elected as sure as you sit there in
hat chair, but he will never serve his
erm ont That was a paralyzer, but 1
ook stock in it, for she never fooled me
! her life. I hedged and bet on Grover,
Ii on her account, and won $4,000 above
~ hedge, and of Kelly, the boot-maker.
lere's another instance from the same
oman: [ had been playing in hard luck
Ii l had only SIP left. l went to her
nd told her how was fixed and that l {
anted tip on the races. She told me ,
} read the names of the horses to her. l
ID SO, and when l got through the list
lie said: 'Tilford is the only one 1 am
Ire of; bet your money on Tilford.' T
emit down to the track, and when the i
orses went to the post there were only I
ur tickets on him.
mat was bonanza, you know, if he
on: l bought one S. ticket. The track
gular duck pond, slosh up to the horses
lees. Tilford came in last. Oh, for
t; he was entered for two races that
y. The next race he was in I heard
at Mike DAILY, the man who owned
m, wanted to scratch him. but the
iges wouldn't have it. That wasn't {
rry encouraging, but l stuck to him and I
my last flyer on him. His jockey
med him every jump and brought him
winner by two lengths. 1 got five
ndred odd dollars for my S. ticket. So
lch for fortune-tellers' tips. Some for
le-tellers are snides, but take one edu- r
ted. or that has it naturally born in /
n, and they get there as a general
e." "'
You gamble with cards, do you?" .
U, yes; l make my living as a sport III
man." "
Does your superstition affect you in
ying cards?''
Yes, indeed. If I am going to play
dis for money always hunt up beg
and give him some money for luck. 4
ave walked sometimes two miles TO
1 beggar, but don't have to do it I
e. There is one on every corner. I
Nv gambler in New York who goes
y to all Italian on Green street, who
these little canaries who tell fortunes n,
pulling an envelope out of pack. He =! ~
avs follows the advice of the bird and w
ave actually seen him shed tears over RI
re OF the slips he got, not from grief. DR.
from vexation, if it went against his
in" y:
Have you ever been at any of the
opean gambling places ?' n
IN, yes, l was at Monaco" &
How does the old thing work there p,, "
Oh, the same as here or anywhere
:, supposed when you were q bow -
,hool, and chose sides for town-ball.
chose up for innings by splitting on a ~
{ and calling wet or dry for choice,
en't you ?"
7 es, many time" n,
Ia, ha! Well, one evening did the II
thing at Monaco. 1 threw up the ~
and called dry and dry it was.
and played roulette. quit 20. OCO
IS winner at midnight. have had s "a,
blers tell me that they had ACQUIRED N'
habit of trying their luck in different H.
3, but claim it's not a habit-it,s f feb,
re, porn IN man, and never comes VIM
Why, know dozens of people who J. a
4 at superstition that will have a case T. =
e dumps if they see the new moon vas
thelr right shoulder for the first
thlnk If they see it over their left
loer and make wish they will get Buy n.y.
wish.-Alta California. do
2 reader may take this for what the Prom
ls'worth: '''o -