The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1894-01-27

ing sly sketch now and then of some face
or figure that attracted my attention, when
caught sight of little gentleman, evi-
dcntly Frenchman, who seemed very
much out of place among the rough crowd.
He was very neatly dressed from top to
toe; but as he passed me, | noticed that
his black frock-coat was somewhat shiny
at the shoulders, and that his carefully
brushed hat had certainly seen better days.
He went in and out among the crowd,
staring at the bookmakers, and glancing
curiously at the three-card fraternity. |
thought there was something wistful about
his eyes as he looked at the gold which
those gentry displayed so lavishly. Pres
emily lost sight of him in the crowd but
about ten minutes before the st. Leger
was to be run | saw him again. He was
engaged in confidential conversation with
an individual whom set down at once as
betting mans tout, and against whose
wiles and Establishments | should have
liked to warn the evidently innocent for
eigner. Presently, however, there was a
great cry of They're off y and had to
turn my attention to the race.
However great the excitement, and how
ever long it may have existed prior to the
event which rouses it, it takes but few
very brief moments to allay it for ever
Within four minutes of the cry of They're
off !" the horses had flashed past me and
past the winning-post, and the great race
was over. | strolcd round the crowd and
amused myself by watching the faces OF
the people who had lost their money, and
the joyful manifestations of those who had
bet successfully. | passed beyond the line
of carriages and carts, and walked across
the moor to the slight hill at the bottom Of
the course, from whence there is an excel
lent view of the crowds gathered before the
! SlduOs. hClC hClC NCi lCN pCOplC aDOue
the hill or the filrze bushes which cover
it, and things were quiet there after the
roar and hustle of the crowd. | turned
away to the left, intending to go into the
high-road and walk to the town but |
suddenly paused and hesitated, for there,
| close before me, was the little French gen
tleman, evidently in distress. He sat on
the ground behind one Of the furze bushes
with his hands hanging helplessly over his
drawn-up knees, and his head dropping
forward in abject fashion. 1t was evident
that he had fallen among thieves. went
up to him and spoke, feeling that his dis
tress warranted me in doing so.
Il am afraid you are in trouble, sir, |
said.
He lifted his face from his hands and
looked up. 'Ah, m'sieur !" He spread
his little fat hands abroad with gesture
that was half pathetic, half comical.
"Helas | have been rob--swindled
have lose all my moneys.
-'Do you mean that some one has picked
your pocket?' asked. ''If so, you should
inform the police.
"Ah, but it is not Eat zey have peek my
pookeet!' he answered quickly. at is zat
l am one big fool bet-I stake-I gives
my money to re maker of books, and pho
it is gone =
"Ah, you have been betting y
''Helas m sieur, yes You see, | am
ah, butt am poor. l am professor of
languages at seexty pounds year. 1t is
YER leetle for madame, my spouse, and for
Jules and myself, and often zink of how
[ can make heem more. A young man
say to me, You should bet, You should
put your money on re horse. He talk to
me, zis young man, of tens to one, and seek
to one, and listen. Zen yesterday comes.
and zey pay ze salary at my school. ley
pay me five pound, and | put them in my
pocket and say, Tomorrow I will 90 to see
re horse race and win much money So
| arrive here at re course, m sieur, and |
walks round and see the maker of books,
and talk with gentleman of sport who
knows what he calls "a sure teep, and he
tells me to put my five pound on 'Croco-
die, and takes me to a man who gives me
teecket, and lays me seexty to one against
re horse Crocodile. Zen | say zat 'Croco-
die will win me three hundred pound, and
we will be happy, and my leetle Jules shall
have new coat and madame, my spouse.
will buy herself a new gown, and l shall
have great joy, And zen zey run, the
horses; and when zey have finish l go to
my maker Of books and request nv money
And he say Crocodile is nowhere at all
and my FIVE pound is lost; and ze man zat
gave ME ze sure teep' is gone, and-He-
las m'sieur-now | have no salary to take
home
And here the little man broke down and
wept. Half amused as l was at his story,
l felt sorry for him, for l could well i'm
agine that the loss of his five pounds would
mean good deal to him and to madame,
his spouse, and their boy Jules. When he
had recovered himself little, | talked fur
ther with him, and found that he was
political refugee, and that he taught French
in boys school at Doncaster Convinced
that his tale was genuine, 1 determined to
help him. | had five pound note in my
pocket for which had no immediate need,
and | made up my mind that he should
have it. As did not desire to pose as a
benefaetor, however, | resolved to adopt