The morning times., 1896-04-20
SHE LEARNS RACING SLANG
Thoroughbred Men, Women and
Described by First-Timer-Ste
Meets Some Track Notables and
Invades the Betting Ring.

on the unoffending world and shown alike
on the just and the unjust. Every just
man who fiattered himself he should out
wit nature and keep cool made a terrible
mistake. And the unjust had the salts
faction of feeling that they wIited in
good company.
1 felt that l went out to Benning as
just person should in a neat trap behind
a good roadster. Bless you, there was
no avoiding the heat. 1t struck down on
the asphalt street in level rays, and the
dirt on the Benning road was almost as
good reflector as the concrete. The
breeze was so light as to be utterly un-
able to dssipate the scorching heat that
arose from mother earth.
When we crossed the Eastern Branch l
expected pleasant things OF the river. But
it might have been sheet OF steel, so
quietly reflective did it lay. The low
land all around it poured orr n miasmatic
odor of swamps. When we turned in the
driveway leading down to the race track
there was only one altevia ting circumsta nee
N the wclterng. heat struck earth, and
| that was the prospect of cool trees with
their myriad colors. There were fruit
| trees in the first blush OF pink blossoms
and other foliage in every shade of green.
BEFORE THE CROWD CAME
We drove UP in the rear of the big grey
| grand stands and gave our animal over
| TO the keeping of one OF the numerous
| African gentlemen who, in dusty clothes
and shirt sleeves presided over the equip
Il ges. felt sorry for the poor brute, who
| was led away TO be tied with his nose up
gainSt a whitewashcd wall, but when |
saw row of colcred men sitting along
that same fence with only u yellow water
bucket and Tin dipper To console their
| misery. | felt that the horse was not the
only thing that suffered, and then l also
had myself to reflect on.
Tie grand stand lay ntrely empty and
| IN an eXpectant mood at that hour. which
was shortly after noon. Not a soul marred
| It's eXpanse OF empty chairs. The birds,
| which had decided that this would be
an ideal place in which to begin building
| house, were cheerily at work fluttering
| here and there in passionate JOY, stop
p!ng TO twitter and sing in the raftcrs of
| the big barn like structure, little thinking
| IN their unphilosophical minds that the
advent or man would soon put q stop TO
| their happy occupation.
Down below various struggles were al
ready going on, the hum OF which came
up to the little inclosure called the press
stand. Some scrawny, overtrained jock
eys were making 4 desperate fight for
| plate OF soup and were finding it i'm
possible to get served in this gentemen's
meeting. Some horse owners and trainers
we're fighting for the privilege OF being
| allowed to enter the paddock. formerly
| known as the betting ring, and where
| betting in quiet way between individuals
was to be in progress later in the day.
| They Won oct. as the horse expression is.
and the turmoil subsidized.
FEEDING THE OFFICIALS
Colored walters were going hithcr and
| thither with trays OF food for the tired
and hungry officials who had been On duty
1elow for several hours. Between the
! grand stand aud the track all was yet
| deserted, but over On the dusty road
| an old farmer with a long gray beard
and wide straw hat was driving a sprink-
! ling cart up and down in q wild effort
! 10 lay the foot deep yellow dust which his
| horses kicked up befofe him i'll d cloud
| as they plodded their patient way. Another
| man was driving n pair of horses alta ched
| to lcvelcr over the same track.
| Over beyond the paddock were the stables
| and they were all animation at this critical
| moment. Horses were being rubb ed
| down ard cared for. Form was being
| vigorously discussed, and this meant the
! form of the brute ard not form as the
social world knows it. Tips were being
! gained by hangers on to be circulated
| later among men who wanted to bet. All
! the vulgar life which hangs around the
| noble acknowledgements in lively progress,
! even at this gentIemau's meeting, where
| only ethics were meant to be evolved. 1t
wasa horse race to these people and nothing
! more.
The country all around lay tranquil in
lis dress of purple and green. The blue
! hills in the distance invited the eve 10
| their serene repose and the green turf of
| the near infield cooled the gaze of the
| spectator. The hurdles and bitches prom
| iscd great fun later on, providing one could
in any contingency forget that this was
an April-Iike August with the heat lying
still and wide sapping the very milk OF
| human Kindness.
WHEN THE TRAIN S CAME IN.
Some way the hour sped. The cor
| respondents began to arrive and take pos
session OF a foot or so of space in the
crowdcd inclosure with painted plank
for desk. They fixed their copy paper
10 this plank with pen knifes and wrote
from their inner consciousness about the
| crowd that they hoped would turn up to
| vindicate their assertions. Colored walters
appeared upstairs and hung about like
| flies for orders of apoliinariS water and
beer.
Finally after the younger reporters had
asked the older CORE Sp Ondents some fifty
odd times how many people were going
| to be there the special trains began pulling
in. And soon the people came. Not in
| swarms and enthusiastic haste for position,
but in small groups too wiited to- care
whether they got favorable seats or not.
Besides the two special trains they ar
| rived in carriages, carts, traps and Vic
tOTias. There was also a taliyhO party
with iinglipg chains and horns and all but
| English in the correctness OF its appoint
ments. Many Of the swellest poured into
| the club house beyond the grand stand
where they had the dust flickered from
their clothing by obsequious attendants
| But there were swell people also who
came in with the pleOs, and where ready
made dresses, newly obtained, mingled
! with smart tailor-made suits.
The up-to-date maiden was there in all
| the glory Of quiet covert cloth suit,
shirt waist, sailor hat and field glasses.
| The over dressed matron was also there
in silk and flower -bedZened hat. Some
| premature maidens wore duck aud SWISS
| but succeeded in looking comfortable for
| all their being out early. Coiored para
soils and feminine chatter had an enliyening
effect on the situation and the small boy
at once began his outcry OF chewing gum
| oranges, popcorn and peanuts, while the
old young men yelled ''prograyIns" until
| meditation became out Of the question.
ALL SORTS AND CONDITIONS.
Now the esplanade before the grand stand
| became all animation. The throng OF
men, which sprung into being so suddenly
one had not time to note its evolution
represented all ages Of men as Jauues
describes them in las You Like It,"
The president of the Jockey Club, s. s.
Rowland, was here and there In
the crowd, and most frequently stood in
CONSPICUOUS place on the balcOnY of The