The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-06-05
DOING THE RACES{

Mr.. Wiley Carey of Tenn1ssee went %
college; 0Aen he vVeHt to New York to try
the races. Cooley, his colOaed servant, be-
gan to see him less: supper after the races,
the theatsr and few things Up town after
she show. you knovl The trail Of the man
who goes racing IS almost az plain as the
broad track over which his favorites run
There are rabbits and champagne oorks
and other troubles strung through it. and
most Of the racing mans days are nights.
It's a merry life for the man with the long
bank account and no particular response
bilitIes. but 1t is not we'll for the round
ing out young man, whose means are in
side close limit and furnished for other
purposes.
Mr.. Wiley Carey was not adapted to rae
ing. There was too 1auoh citation over the
winnings and too many mad moods over
the Iosings. Cooley could tell best of these
variations of temper. Waiting Up nights,
he saw DIr Wiley make two kinds Of
home entrances. One was sparkling, iri-
descent, vaingloriOus, like the peacock
strut BIr Wiley had picked his horses
we'll, and the bookmakers had regretted
him. Other nights he came slowly in,
with his hands showed deep in his pockets
and a black frown on his brow; the book
makers smiled. Those nights he nodded
no greeting to the boy, but submitted to
being undrsssed and went sullenly to bed.
Cooley saw and interpreted the signs
There were more black moods than seemed
TO be balanced by the glad nights and
Cooley worried
"NIis6ah Wiley sho' ain doin OF we'll e.
be wuz onot. Race bosses is all right and
colleges is all right but they don mix
hyah in New York emmy mon they do
down home, an don reckon Miss Cha 'Ity
I'D zactly like tub know thar Mistah
Wiley wuz tryln tub tangle 'em up"
More and mere moody grew AIR. Wiley
as the season waned- Plainly some Of the
home donation which had been provided
for other purposes had gone into unworthy
hands As days went on more of the same
thing went the same way. This gradual
dvvindling OF funds was marked by a
gradual darkening Of the Carey brow and
a gradual deepening Of Cooley concern.
The latter gave evidence of his trouble IN
a delicate suggestion:
Mighty good bosses round hyah, I rsck-
on, Aistah Wiley"
Eyes, pow full good, Cooley; bettah than
you evah saw down home"
Some is heap bettah an othahs, I reok-
on"
Much bettah.'
"Auus beats thu othahs. %
"Not always, Cooley"
'fNo, suh2'
mo"
"Then how yuh gwine tub tell bout
bettin on em, suh9'
Take chances, Cooley"
"Kindah long chances sometimes ain
theyq'
Yes, ve'y long
"Mighty hard tuh know whah tub put
20 money"
eyes"
'sHoap hardah larnin bosses 'an its larn-
in books, ain it?''
'.Nevah thought Nv it that way, Cooley,
but it might be-"
"Tha's whut I thought Miss Cha'ity
might think, sub
miss Chaity amt thinkin bout race
bosses, Cooley
No, sub, but I reckon she is bout yuh,
sub"
Which was softly insinuating and in the
line of COoley's manifest duty, and Mr..
Wiley was not blind to tho suggestion, but
when one goes to sleep with the rataplan
of hoofs stringing through his brain he is
likely TO wake in the morning with want
for more of the music. So Mr.. Wiley
Carey went to the track and left Cooley to
devise other means for bringing about a
change n the order of things. Sitting up
alone, Cooley picked his greasy cid guitar,
orooned old southern songs and figured for
Mr.. Wiley.
Actual advice he could not presume to
offor. and gentle SUGGESTION was the only
method loft TO him. He took Miss Chart
tvs picture out OF the back room and put
it en- the mantelpieoe in the front room,
right v heee one saw it on entering. He
talked much, wheE permitted, about the
plantation aud the swest, simple things Of
the home life, urging always what great
day would come whom Mr.. Wiley and he
walked down the gangplank once more.
All those failing him, be went back to his
guitar and his Groom songs for consolation.
The change was worked by the boOkmak-
ers, and it came ia night. 1T was rather
later than usual when Mr.. Wiley walked
in with the black brow blaoker than Coo
ley bad ever seen it. The moonlight
dropped through the wide front window
and Carey set down where the drift of it
fell across him.
would you like tub go home, CooleyP"
"Yas, sub. -
81 think you can go soon.
lis yuh goin, Mis6ah Wiley9''
"N0.'
''Then mus wait fur yuh."
''Turn cut the lights an 60 tub bed. s I
don want YOU
Cooley turned the lights and went into
his little aIcove, but instead OF the.bed ne
sat down and looked sadly through the
half open door at the figure of Nj. Wiley
Carey, sitting there in the flood of the
moonlight his elbows on his knees his
head buried in his hands. There was no
movement for an hour, and the moonlight
when Carey YEARLY arose, walked over to
the table and picked up a revolver lying
there Then he resumed his seat and be-
gan twirling tho clicking cylinder. Cooley
in the Above had laid his guitar across his
knees Carey locked steadily out of the
window for a moment and then stood up,
cooking the revolver as he rose. The guibaE
broke into tho silence with a twing, twang,
twing, and Cooley's soft voice began to
Groom:
Way down upon the Swanee rivah''-
Carey stood still, put his lips together,
then laid the pistol on the table and went
slowly into the bedroom.
Cooley, undress meP' - Charles E.