Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1894-08-25
four MINES IN FRONT.
How Horses Thus Numbered
Won Races at Roby.
PREMIER ROsEBERY's nEDGEHOGs
The Dead One Hoodooed the First Ladas,
and the Live One Was the Seconds Mas
Gothic Turf Plunger Who Carries a
Blind Boy About as Mascot.

Superstition seems to go hand in hand
with all games of chance, and there are
few gamesters who do not believe in luck,
in mascots which are apt to bring luck
and in hoodoos which are certain to blast
all chances of success. This is particular
ly true of race track betting, and SO many
odd things happen at the big race courses
that certain amount of superstition Is
not to be wondered at. OF the thousands
of regular bettors who attend the races
daily in New York, Chicago and other
great centers, where the sport of kings is
very popular, not small percentage be-
lieve that a hunchback or a blind man is
mascot of the gilt edged variety, and
whenever these superstitious gamblers
pass a blind man or hunchback who is
begging near the entrance to the track
they are sure to drop coin in the mendi-
,ants hat "for luck"
The result is that blind negroes and
hunchbacked unfortunates are as thick
around the ordinary race track as flies
around sugar barrel, and both find no
difficulty in getting all the sugar they
lesirc. 1t is said that many of the beg
yars reap such handsome returns during
The racing season that they are able to
i've in comparative luxury during the
winter months, when the idle bang tails
ire eating their heads off in their stables.
knowledge of the power they possess over
The superstitious turf plungers often leads
5hc boldest of the beggars to threaten all
sorts of disaster to the man who refuses to
lrop nicklc into tickle fortunes human
dot machine. Rather than be hopelcssly
hoodoocd and walk home, many a race
track bottor has unwillingly left coin in
iuch mcndicant's hat.
A St. Louis paper tells of q travelling
nan who recently met blind boy on a
rain near Cleveland. II was interested
IL the boy" said the drummer. .'Hc oc-
,upied a berth in the sleeper and was
aiken into meals by stout man whose
department. and dress proclaimed him to be
lover of race horses. In the course of
conversation with the lad he told me his
destination was the Cleveland trotting
meet, adding with singular sincerity, that
lc was mascot When found ont he
vas not joking, 1 questioned him and
ound that the big fellow with whom he.
vas travelling had met him at the entrance!
20 one of the eastern tracks last year and
had given him dollar.
Luck had been against him all the sea
son, but that day he won on every race,
wen a 90 to l chance being includcdl
tmong his good things. After the meet
he plunger hunted up the blind hoy gave
Tim good suit of clothes and practically
adopted him, taking him around with him
% race meetings all over the country. TIL
mascot assured me that he had a delight
Jul time, having nothing to do and being
sreated just like a swell, to use his own
words. From curiosity l tried to enter
into conversation with the sport as to
low the charm of the blind ex-bcggar
worked. / was politely told to mind my
)wn business, but there was an air of
prosperity and success about the big fel
.ow which convinced me that the relations
between the mascot and himself were as
satisfactory to employer as to employee, "
There is very interesting story about
Lord Roscbery his Derby winner Ladas
md q brace of hedgehogs. In his under
graduate days Lord Roscbcry owned an
,thcr Ladas. On tho day before he ran
hat horse as he left his house in PARK
,ane he noticed dead hedgehog upon tho
grass plot, and Ladas lost, thus proving
,onclusively that so far as Lord Rosobery
md Ladas were concerned a hedgehog was
The worst sort of hoodoo. But the story
1oos not end at this point From the day
the first Ladas was hoodooed until the day
Of the EPSON Derby of 1894 Lord Rosebery
succeeded in lodging all the hcdgchogs in
England and was consequently sure that
the second Ladas would win the Derby in
a canter. On the morning of the event,