The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1894-10-11
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Postponed on account OF the weather.
Some horses, they say, run faster In the
mud than on dry track but as long as they
run that fills the bill. Ii would be hard
work TO run the races in the stalls, and
according to the engagements and the
nurses offered the horses have to run when
il is pleasant.
There is another thing which is funny
about this horse racing business. No in
terest attaches to il unless some money Is
wagered on the result. Whether a horse
trots or runs IL there is nothing up from
barrel of beans TO some crisp bank bills
in a sillxen purse, ii Is just as well to keep
the horse in The barn or drive him down
10 the blacksmith shop for all any one
cares. There is no use arguing the case
pro or con. No horse race can be carried
on successfully without wagering money
on the result.
The American people are nation
through which permeates an inherent
desire TO ''cut the cards" SO to speak win
a neighbor as TO what Will take place or
happen that has not already transpired,
including, of course, among other things,
horse racing. This has has been going on
Tor more than a thousand years. The law
being a shuttlecock, and oftimes bur-
lesque, OF course funny things happen.
Sumptuary legislation generally lacks the
sincerity of enforcement and for that
reason loopholes and crevices are left,
through which ultimate escape Is possible
after exhaustive argument.
You know you generally obtain all the
law you wish, but usually there is very
little justice that goes with it. What is
sauce for the goose should be sauce for
the gander, and while all forms. of gam
bling, as other evils, are to be deplored,
nothing of a permanent nature can be
accomplished until the people, as people,
are freed from the desire to speculate,
wager, or take a chance in any manner TO
OBTAIN. otherwise than through Legitimate
channels, the prevalent coin OF the realm.
But so goes the world. You can argue,
and you can argue, and theu comes in
consistency, which is such jewel, and
one evil Is twin to another evil, and the
first thing you know, as the Dutchman
said, "you know p6ddmgs."
There is roof yoSder. You can go
on top and jump of and he killed. There
is river running along beside the bridge.
You can Jump in and be drowned. Sui
eide, you say? Yes, you can commit
moral suicide. You can get boiling
drunk and start i'm to whip a couple of
policemen, get your skull cracked open
with club and have ride TO the station
house in the patrol wogon and pay into
the city treasury S4.60 and from that up.
You can play cards for money or for fun.
You can bet on horserace in your mind
or 10y buying pool. You are your own
free moral agent.
Ard when you add yourself up and put
down a lot OF goose eggs you will possibly
come 10 the conclusion sooner or later,
that outside OF thinking for someone else,
for your family, for your children, and
for your friends that YOU may be kept
tolerably busy by thinking for youraeIf.
Did you ever ride in "a patrol wagon I?
! hope you never have, involuntIfily at
least. was sitting in the Central Sta
ti0n the other evening when n call came
in from box which directed the official
vehicle TO the corner OF Power and South
Main street. i went along. Tie patrol
wagon fairly bounds over the pavements,
and / found it necessary TO hang on 10 the
railing to keep from falling out. Inside
OF three minutes the place designated was
reached, and there was one of the dis
tressing sights of city .life-a young girl
drunk.
A young girl drunk.
You always pity man In your heart of
hearts when liquor has robbed him OF his
senses but woman begets from every one
the sorrowful "too bad"
The girl referred 10 had short, black,
closely curled hair, and the cleo
trio light shone on face as white
as Parian marble. Her eyes glis-
tened and glared in their sockets like
those OF a tigress. She was fair OF feature
and even in her bedraggled condition
there were traces OF refinement not quite
obliterated.
She was prone TO be giddy and gay and
esseyed on being seated beside the good
looking. stalwart policeman to throw her
arms about his heck. Firmly though
gently he made her desist. Suddenly she
espied the guest OF the patrol in the per-
son of the writer and with an hysterical
laugh and exultant ejaculation, she cried
" SO you're goin' along, too" After l
heard that motioned TO the officer to
direct the driver TO stop at the bridge, as L
was ready to get out.
QUICKLY COMPROMISED,