The Portland daily press., 1895-01-05
SPRINTING AND BETTING.
How Professional "Sprinters" Fleeced
Town.

Town.
Thew Laid Low a Year For an Opportunity
A Western Spccialty-A Remarkable
Story Related to the Press by Former
Maine Man.
The following significant illustration
of a characteristic Western enterprise
was recently related in this city by
young man, who was born and brought
I'D in Cum berland county, but who is
now located in Chicago. AS the travell-
ing salesman of large commercial
honse in that city his circuit takes him
through many of the Western States.
He is good deal of sprinter and
high kicker himself, as the following
of his many similar experiences Will
show. In the Office of hotel he once
said to the proprietor, pointing TO tne
electric globe near the ceiling, Will
YOU risk my kicking that globe to
pieces?"
yes was the reply, "and I'll bet you
five you can't kick it,"
He sprang into the air, sent one Ioot
far above his head and the globe was
shattered into pieces
The following sprinting story he re-
lated just as he received it straight from
headquarters though of course it is not
told in his own words:
, sPRINTING AND BETTING.
There was nothing particular about
the mans appearances. He was perhaps
thirty years of age, simply dressed, as
su,ted one of ais station and with
clear, intelligent look about him that
commended him to favor, and since
Farmer Hawley was in great need OF a
hired man, he acceded to the strangers
,,as, n eat for employment with the remark
thar he aguessed he'd give him try
And therefore Hiram futile became
Installed on the big farm in the subur ps
of a small Kansas city. that we Will can
BettviIle, and although at nrst ne ne-
Irayed but slight acquaintance Will
MANY everyday features of farm WORK,
soon made himself master of his duties,
end performed them SO well and 80 faith
fulIy that his "try' proved in every way
satisfsctory. and he became regular
mem Der of the household.
The weeks heightened into months,
and Hiram still remained IN MS new
home, apparently perfectly conleh'ea
with his lot, though more than one OF
the neiehb ers had expressed the opinion
khat there was "something unnatural
ahout that Few Teller at Hawley's." ana
that he didn't seem like man VINO
would wish or be obliged to earn MS
living as farm hand. much less Hke
one who had ever done SO before. HOW
ever it was finally learned thae far ram
had told plausible story OF ms IorMer
life in the East, of his employment IN
CITY sill his health left him ana OF
docto-,s advice to seek for is again IN
daily labor in the dry air OF tne pral-
ries
drifted to Bettville and on the Iarm Oh
his emniover found pleasant home.
and better still remedy for his disease;
He had felt better from the Hrst and
In a few weeks was almost new man
and quite content to exchange MS clt9
life for the healthful monotony Oh agrl-
cultural labors. - ~ .u,.n ~
Yet, despite all this. the truCn VI
which could not be disproved, Farmer
Hayeley was not the only one VINO al
WAYS felt. in a vague, inexplicable way,
that Hiram really entertained proIouno
contemnt and deeper dislike for his wofR
and his surroundings, though nao onoy
been asked they could have named no
one occurrence that would warrant sucn
a belief.
Hiram's conduct was in every way IT.
renroachable and finally all suspicious
gradually died away, and ne was ac-
cspted for what he appeared.
Nearly year had thus passed away
and harvest time had come again, Win
its atmosphere of universal plenty, us
cool and bracing weather, ana It's annual
had brought the good old New Englano
customs 70 their new home III the west,
and the agricultural fair was one OF
However under their new condition,
amidst strange surrounding, anu oy
virtue of contact with men from o1ner
sactions. there resulted many character
istics of Bettville air fthat are peculiar
TO the section, and not the least OF these
is the universal readiness OF the people
to wager their money upon the leas6 pro-
vocation, and also the general
FONDNESS FOR FOOT FACES,
or @spr,nting" contests. The feats OF
amateur and professional "sprinters" and
che wagers lost and won by their sue
oessor's defeat are topics OF discussion
in saloons, hotels and stables. In fact
all through the Western States, the en-
thusiasm for @sprinting" contests, has
been in the past few years something
entirely unknown among the people or
the older States. Therefore we see large
concourse assembled on the track OF tie
Bettville fair grounds, at the time Of
which we write, and two contestants,
dressed in racing costume. are bracing
themselves for the struggle for victory
in the Quick dash of 100 yards.
One of these was the BettviIle oham-
pion, a negro of fine physique and great
feetness of foot, and the other was IA
white man, the representative of neigh
boring and, of course, rival town.. The
interest in the race was exceptional, and
30 was the amount OF money involved.
A short time before the race rough
farm wagon might have been seen ap-
preaching the grounds, driven by
roughly clad individual whose entire ap-
pearance proclaimed him to be an un-
ophiscated rustic. And as no made his
way among the people to catch
glimpse of the approaching race no one
would have supposed that he could have
possessed more than a gaping curiosity
in regard to it, much less imagined that
when the, race was over and the negro