The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1892-12-10
Women as Gamblers.
Woman are born gamblers, an,
-

are always willing to take chances
on anything from cotton nine-
patch quilt to q horse race, says the
Cincinnati Enquirer. We have no
Monte Carlo, where myl lady can
sit and rake in the Winning chips
with her jeweled fingers or stake
her last diamond on losing card,
but we have race coursti and one
we'll patronized by the faia sex.
There you will see womn Of all
ages and Of oil stages in lie, from
the young miss who is yet h short
dresses to the grandmotherf tho has
been brought along to lod k after
the children; from madam whose
thoroughbreds are impaiently
awaiting her to the working girl
who has taken her chum fora ride
in the cars with the crowd yomen
whose husbands are working hard
to earn the money which they are
risking-often losing-on the Ford
of a stable boy; women whose
homes needs the time they are
wasting and whose families are
indeed desolate since mother pAyed
the races; women who have 10th
ing else to do and plenty of m'ney
to spare, who find it pleasantvay
to spend the afternoon and think it
just as inexpensive as any o4er
form of amusement; women wh,ee
only errand seems to be to sh,w.
their diamonds and dainty, lae-
trimmed skirts and present their
cards to any gentleman who may
speak to them.
The race track is indeed levela
of rank. There the sporting ele-
ment can hobnob with staid and
steady matrons, who under differ
ent circumstances would be in
suited if they were but addressed
by one of these. The colored stable
boy is in his glory. He is on equal
ity, even superiority, with white
folks, and it is no uncommon sight
to see him sitting by lady with
his arm familiarly about her chair
He always has the delicate odol
of the stable about him, and the
stronger it is the more popular he
is, as it indicates being on the In
side. so to speak.
1t is an interesting study to watch
the different types represented. The
first to attract attention is the
young lady who, by careful study
and long practice, has all the slang
of the race course on her tongues
end. She knows all about horses
and can talk pedigree and form t(
such an extent as to drive horse
man crazy. When the horse on
which she has dollar gets lett al
the post it is always the fault OF
the starter, and the roasting ne get'
from those lovely lips causes he1
neiphbors to look around in aston
ishment. :,
Here is a little group whose well
worn dresses and gloveless hands
show very plainly that they belong
to the class who know little else bu
toll. No doubt some one OF thel
acquaintances has been fortunat'
and won a few dollars and they
hone to be equally as lucky
Such remarks as II must win to
day. for / dreamed offnding none!
last night" and "I'll surely win o. o.
this race, for SO and SO told my ~
tie boy the horse was out for tn'
stuff. and I've borrowed 20 ant
must win" are often heard.
In the same place can be foun'
every day trio who do not seen
to care whether they win or loose
They never bet less than $40, an
often $50. on a race. They neve
stand on the chain to see the horse
] come down the stretch or snap thel
finger and call "Come on, Bolste'
come on" but calmly wait until 10
winning number is hung out, an
the most careful observer could nc
tell whether they were sorry or gIa
|by the expression Of their face'
They are what might be terme
"dead game sports.
over in the corner sits q gray
haired lady who never misses . "a;
She has seen her little bank accou' e'
vanish like the morning dew beio'
the sunlight, and the twltchlng {
her face and the incessant NOV
ment of her hands tell only e
plainly the nervous strain she
enduring. It is almost more 'na aa
nature can stand when she sees II
horse falling back that she b
hoped SO much for.
And so it goes, some win q q
others lose. From many 9 ,:a e
hand and dainty ear the spark,il
gems will be missed and IN 'nt {
Stead in the false bottom OF 2
lsdv's level case can be found tlck