The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1896-08-29
A ~TELEPATHIC TIP.
A telegram for you, sir.

"iCSloHI lol Hcui SIT.
1t was the morning of the Derby day,
and ! had just looked into the office
before starting for EPSON. l was at
the time on the staff of the Sporting
Courier, and besides giving what is
known in the sporting world, rs mid
day finals" L usually did the home
meetings.
! took the telegram and tore it open.
The message surprised me, for it ram:
Don Pero is bound to win.-Dixey."
/ read it again and again. Don Pero
was a rank outsider. and had been
looked upon by everybody as not hav-
ing the slightest chance of a place. For
confirmation n had only to look at the
--latest London betting to find that the
horse stood at fifty to one. Yet Dixrv.
the trainer, had never before misled
me, and L could not help feeling that
there must be something in it. Dixev
Inew what he was doing, and. as he was
always counted as one of the smart
men, [ determined to do what in an
other case would have been ridiculous
on the face of it.
| sat down at my desk and wrote out
my copy. 1t ran as follows:
There is no denying the fact that
the favorite is in excellent condition,
but | think hat he will be just beaten
10y a horse whose qualifications have
hitherto been completely overlooked.
Ny final selection is one hat perhaps
will not be acceptable to the majority
Of my readers, but rs l am in posses
sion of the most exclusive information.
] have no hesitation in placing the
Shree horses in this order:
Don PerO.
2-Windcmere.
3-Nervine.
| was just thinking about starting
Ghcn the chief sent for me.
What does this mean, Mr.. Coed
mani" he said. as / entered the Don
''This," evidently referring to my Ms.
which he held in his hand.
Are YOU referring to my Derby tip,
sir?" I asked.
Yes, l am. Surely you can find 4
better horse than Don Pero?"
Not to beat it." l said.
But it's a fifty to one chance."
81 can't help that" l replied, rather
haughtily, perhaps; but l am assured
that he is bound TO win"
Assured! BY whom, pray?"
"Pardon me-" 1 answered, but my
Information is obtained from a strictly
private source. | alter the wording
Of the paragraph, if you like, but l
should prefer that it goes in as it is"
Il nave no wish to interfere in your
department." replied the chief. Let it
Stand, if you are sweet upon it. If he
comes off. it will be all right. If not.
Ecll, we shall be the laughing-stock of
everybody. from the Jockey club down
to the youngest Newmarket tout"
: did not think that it was worth
while having an argument about the
matter, so took the opportunity of clos
ing the interview and took n cab to
Waterloo. When I reached the curse
] made the best of my way to the pad
dock in the hope of seeing DiXey and
having a talk with him before racing
began, but he was nov here to be seen.
l soon found out that some of my col
leagues wanted 70 have 4 hat with me.
for the Sporting Courier. My final in
had created quite 4 sensation.
Jimmy Berners, the starter" was
very forcible in his language and said
some very nasty things about my in
ability to provide the racing world with
information that was of any value.
l really begun 10 feel a bit nervous
about the matter myself. for it seemed
so absurd that a horse of Dor Pero's
caliher should have any chance of win
ming the classic event.
Then the horrible thought rushed
through my mind that the telegram was
a hoax. and | felt a cold perspiration
break ont all over me. As a matter of
fact. I did not care a brass farthing
which horse won. but l knew that my
reputation as a tipster vas at stake. If