Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1888-09-03
LOUISAsS LUCKY PLUNGE.
She Plays the Races With the Proverbial
Luck of a Beginner.

She Plays the Races With the Proverbial
Luck of a Beginner.
A young bride was calling with
friend, and at more thar one house
found other friends who had been to
the races. Enhancing were the stories
thew told of backing the winners.
Now Louisa had never been to the
races in her life, and that very night
she asked her husband if he would not
take her.
aNow who has been putting that
into your head?" asked John, brusque-
.sWhy, don't know, John, dear"
said Louisa, .'but everybody seems to
90. and / want to. | want to back the
winners"
The next scene is at Sheepshead
Bay. Three races have been run, and
Louisa is intensely interested, not only
in events, but in the scenes around
her. She has kept her eyes open, and
has noticed that ladies near her send
money away in the hands of BOYS in
uniform, and that the boys return
with tickets, which the ladies put in
their bags. She has pleaded with her
husband to let her bet just once on
race, but he has forbidden it so sternly
that she dares not speak of it again.
But John has left his seat after each
race and not returned until the next
one is about to be run. In her inno-
cent little head has crept the idea that
John is betting on the races, and she
longs to know what his fortune has
been. By the time the third race has
been run she has grown into a fever
of excitement over a project which she
feared to execute. She would take adj
vantage of his absence and bet for her.
self secretly. John looked very dark
at the conclusion of the third race,
and ground his teeth as he made an
swer to his wifes innocent question
that he had rather hoped such a horse
would win, for he knew the jockey.
.sHe is telling a white lie," thought
bright Louisa, 'sand | will get even
with him." But it seemed as if John
would never get up and disappear as
he had before. In fact, John was Won
dering whether he would take final
plunge with what he had left He de-
cided that he would go out to the bet
ting pavilion, at all events, and see
how the odds were running, and it is
unnecessary to say that he plunged.
AS soon as he had gone Louisa was
thrown into a rage of excitement and
doubt. The color mounted hot to her
cheeks and her heart thumped like a
typewriter, as with a supreme impulse
she beckoned to boy. 1t was the
last chance.
..Here," she exclaimed, producing
some bills from her purse. Take
this and bet it for me"
who onp" asked the boy, stolidly
receiving the money and counting 1t.
There was $50.
80, dear!'' whispered Louisa, 81
don't know anything about horses.
You know, don't you?"
sWell," said the boy, scra itching his
head, ''they are givin' 2 to on lchl
Ban and 6 to l on Pocomoke, but
think it's race for short horse, my
self"
.sBut can short horse run as fast
as long one?" asked Louisa, in sur
prise.
but / am backing Ovid, and you can
get ID to l on him."
..Well, well, hurry along, and dc
what you think best, only put il
somewhere, and don't let anybody
know"
The boy disappeared, and presently
John came back She looked at hin
furtively to see if he suspected any
thing, but Johns face was like that Of
Sphinx The boy returned too, anC
slipped piece of paper into Louisa'S
hand without attracting attention
She hastily thrust it into her purse
feeling wofully guilty. The race was
run, and it would be hard to say which
was the more excited. When it was
over John said awkwardly, Louisa
you brought some money on the tract
with you, didn't you?"
Eyes, DEAR" she replied family
feeling that now the storm was com
ing.
Il guess you'd better let me have it,
ne said. '.To tell the trath, L hav
got rid of mine. A friend told me tina
a race was coming a certain way; n
wanted me to back it-and-1 did so
and it's gone wrong, you know; sucl
things will sometimes occur" and hi
courage returned as he got the con
fession out of his mouth.
Louisa trembled. Il haven't 60
the money, John" she faltered; 81
spent it.
John ungallantly. "Humph! I'd like t.
know how we are going to get home
to say nothing of having anything t
eat" and he relapsed into silence.
Louisa felt all the sorrow and an
guish of a penitent 1t took NOR
nerve than it had to bet her money t
put her hand in her bag, produce he
ticket, and pass it to John, sayini
family: perhaps this is worth some
thing. They might give you back tn
money if you told them about it."
John did not hear the last part c
her sentence. He was staring hard a
bit of pasteboard, and all he coul
say was: ''How in thunder did 70
come to play that horsep" Then be-
fore Louisa could say word h
turned upon her, held the caribbean
before her face, and exclaimed: ''Hav
you the slightest idea how much this
worthp"
NO" she answered, depressing
sob. 81 didn't mean to, and | won
do it again; l won't, truly, and don
want to come to the races again"
"Well," he assented, 81 don't thin
you'd better, for this play was abor
the most absurd that could be made
but it just happens that this particula
ticket is worth $40.
They had pretty good dinner
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