Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-09-29

trim little fellow who bestrides the winner
and coaxes him along TO victory. ike some
occult "whisperer " who possesses charm
which the equines alone can UNDER
stand. And the man IN immature IS
usually quite conscious of the admiration
he evokes, for, as he stalks from the pad
dock leading his blanketed racer, he looks
proudly about him and arches his head as
a Shanghai does his crest before he
sails into the fight with some less blue
blooded rooster. He knows. too, that the
smallest motion of his finger will be con-
strued by vigilant feminine eyes as UP"
and rewarded by shower of smiles. 80
he wisely economies the opportunities tor
irritation before the horses go to the post:
for well he knows the mallgn aspect OF
the femae-turfite when she has played his
Tip" and lost.
The feminine racing crank is by no means
indigenous 10 American sol, for she 10
found abroad at Epson and Plmllco, OF
Chantilly and other Continental tracks,
betting with splendid recklessness that
proves her n gambler at heart. But the
Occidental brand has developed new Tea
lures unknown in other cOuntrics.s Betting
on the turf is with the women OF Europe
rare pastime, an occasional indulgence.
while here there are thousands of young
and middle-aged ladies who find their prin-
cipal recreation in the purchase of French
Mutuals and two-dollar tickets during the
racing season. Even shop-glrls, earning
small salaries. pinch and save to get lew
dollars together to bet. The majority OF
the regular female patrons, however, be-
long to the middle class.
THE RACING CRANK
nav be seen in all her glory almost any
day at Brighton or Gravesend. Last Tues
day was field-day, and she attended the
opening of the Brooklyn Jockey Club at
Gravesend IN unusual numbers. Dressed
in the most pronounced toilets, ana rlch IN
colors that would make evena balky horse
start, she enlivcned the grand-stand and
kept the messengers running to and from
the pOol-bOxes at a great rate. Enthusiasm
and enbOnpOint are her most striking charac-
teristics, and as long as her purse holds
out she is willing TO bet on anything that
runs with four legs. But woman IS rarely
a philosopher. and when she loses pct her
her spirits forthwith tumble to zero. She
will beg or borrow what cash she can and
plunge recklessly, regardless of record,
pedigree, and sheer probability.
One elegantly-dressed woman had no
sooner arrived on the gTand-stand ana
looked over her lists than she began betting
upon the opening event. She was appa-
rently about thirty and wore little short OF
s 900 worth of diamonds on her fingers
and in her small, patrlclan ears. pctty
hit encouraged her TO a bigger venture IN
the second event, when she dropped. Then,
with true feminine recklessness she began
to plunge, and finally, on the third. fourth,
and fifth, races she discovered that her
resources had run dry. She stood watch
ing the running. like an angry tisress,
showing her white teeth and with fixed
eyes and clenched hands. Right in front
of her was a handsome young girl, barely
twenty, who had risked several bets and
won handily. As she stood up III the gene
raj excitement at the close of the fifth race
and watched the winner sweep past under
the wire she was q striking contrast 10 the
loser. Her fair face beamed with pleasure,
and she uncOnsciously joined in the gene
raj shout, while the mad creature behind
her shrieked something that sounded wo-
fully like an eXecratiOn.
An interesting pair occupied seat lit
tie distance from the grand-stand.
That's six dozen pairs you owe me now,
Mr.. Tibbitts." she said, after the third race.
There were two dozen / won on Reclare
and one on Volunteer and two more on
Kingston, makes five 10y
"Ya-as, Miss Milly, and one on Stwide-
away, know. Six dozen, bah Jawye
You're right"