New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-07-06
a LITTLE GIRL BOOKMAKER.
.CoNICAL SCENE on AN ENGLISH TRACK.
SHE TOOK ODDS FROM HER PLAYMATEs., MADE
MONEY, AND WAS NEARLY RUN OVER

SHE TOOK ODDS FROM HER PLAYMATEs., MADE
MONEY, AND WAS NEARLY RUN OVER
Stories Of adventure. disaster and good or bad
fortune in connection with the racetrack are many and
various OF all the racing stories-some founded on
fact some in the imagination Of the teller. and some
containing an equal measure of fact aud fancy-none,
perhaps, funner that related by clever women
who Is row one Of the lights of the variety
stage. The young person in question was until
short time ago a member Of Of the English
burlesque companies imported into this country re-
Gently. In her demeanor she is the antthesis of
the average musc-lau serio-comic singer. on the
stage, as on it, she is graceful. modest
and refined, and bears at least the out
ward resemblance of lady She has always
an nexhaustibe fund OF professional anecdotes al her
command, and tells them with an artless ingenious,
whimsical hHmor that is irresistibly diver.lng.
u have been on the variety stage since !
little taller than my paraso,' she said the other
day and like most people in my profession have
been constantly brought contact with all sorts and
conditions Of racing Generally, my connection
with racing has been limited to a seat In the grAnu
stand. l have seen hundreds of races run and know
as much Of the mysteries of form as IL is possible for
any woman to squeeze into her head. don't bet on
the legged deceivers. because hold that women
should never bet. They lacking in the patience.
judgment and temper necessary for success in that
line.
Now / remember. however, I think did once
venture into the field Of speculation. II happened
In this way. some years ago-while was SIN
little grill filling weeks engagement AT a
sleepy old city in the West Of England. The races
were on at that time. such races A lot Of worn
old selling piaters staggering round track ior
100 guinea pursucs, with perhaps one third
rate stake race each day. one morning
made up my mind TO visit the racecourse stole out
Of The house-unseen by my mother, who then. as now
travelled with me-and collecting party Of playmates
girls and boys, marched off to the track.
We did not go the grand stand. our view Oh
the races was taken from te outer rails, just beyond
the winning post As we got on 10 the course the
numbers were going up for the second race don't
know how the idea first struck me, but all at once
as it seemed-I seized with mad anDiuou "
make a book on the race Whether 1t was the example
OF the leather lunged Tom fiddler few feet away
yelling the odds In an ear-splttns falsetto and picking
up gold and silver from north, SOUTH east and west
that inspired me- l don't know. AT oil events
counted eightpence capital in my pockets and at once
started int business. Ny companions were ready
for anything and pressed their pennies Oh me with
most afectionate warmth.
From tine 10 time looked on the board Of my
leaher-lunged friend next door, carefully noted his
odds, and laid point less all round. Nearly every
thing in the backed, but two or three OF the
boys put all their combined pockstmoney-s
dropped his flag found that l had more than lalf'
a-crown In my book ard only fifteen pence 70 pay out
OH my worst horse. Then 1 watched the race Win
serene low l heard the tumble OF hOofs in the
distance coming nearer and ncarer-I saw "a
confused mass Of bright cOlors growing more and more
distinct as the horses reached the grand stand. saw
tie bright yellow jacket Of the favOrite fash out
and then drop back into the ruck, and then, as 1t
seemed. a horse, bearing a blue jacket shot up from
the rails dropped from the skies, OF somewhere, ac
passed the winning post three lengths In front.
1T was some dreadful outsider belonging TO
Nottingham bOOknaaer. against which had not lald
A cent For a moment danced ana sang ana almost
went crazy with Joy Then ! remembered That u was
customary TO lead the winner back 70 scale and /
thought would do it. The eye Of the nearest police
man was turned the other way. | ducked under the
rails and ran out after the horses which were now
beginning to come back 10 the paddock There was
oud shout and scream from the grand ard. Ii seemed
10 everybody though would be surely uampled
down. Then the police woke up and there was tle
spectacle OF four great bic patrolmen chasing after
tuv midget OF girl. OF course they caught NE,
and l was led back captive in state.
somehow the news Of my exploit had spread
where the chief steward, a dear kind old gentleman
sir George something me to tell him all about
nav book couldn't understand why he and those
around him kept breaking ont into shouts OF laughter
or wins the jockeys and trainers and several very
stout gcnleneu-whO, | afterward heard, were book
uakers-came 10 look at and went away grinning
was taken around to the ladies in the private boxes
Of the afternoon. one Of the ladies took me home IN
a carriage and there found my poor mother nearly
mad with fear and anxiety. rot knowing where nad
gone or what had become Of me. That was my nrst
and last experience I'm turf speculation. am sure
that shall not tempt Providence again IN that way