Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1897-09-02

called at my office to sound mo as
10 my position assured him, with
all The self assurance could mus
ter, that the aspect Of affairs caused
mU 10 unousincss.
But tn" wuarlnCss of the day-the
fCvCrish excitement that took pos
session of me as.the hours rolled
ont
With my eyes fastened on the
clock | watched the hands slowly
creep to tn" hour fixed for the race.
And when the gong sounded the
first stroke of 8 | started in NV
chair rs if l had heard thunder
clap.
Now they arc off and my fortunes
hang upon u hors" and jockey. In
my Imagination | could hear the
thud of many huofs as they spurncd
tn" ground i'll that wild scramble
toward IT," winning post.
Then half an hour later | heard
the ncwsbOys racing down the
street shouting with their brazen
lungs: especial! Winner of the In
tcrnatl"nal!' And Il nuuseating sick
ness Cropt over me my head spun
round and round ~ l staggered out
and purchased a paper
With trembling hands l laid 1t on
my desk. and for some minutes l
sat thrr" not daring to open it.
Then, comprising myself with great
effort, | opened the sheet and lot my
eyes rest upon the fatal column.
GrCut heavens! Could l bolicvo
my scnscst There staring me i'll the
face was;
ohphant Observation-Disclosures.
S"nEhird.
The puprr dropped from my
norVclcss hands and fell back in
my chair with gasp.
My POSITION was saved as if by
miracle.
AT s. O'Clock went to tho Norfolk
hotel to meet Dick Hampton, and
found him with face as long as
the provCrbial fiddle
Jack, you lucky dog-but it's
: 60 " q - wv N''.N a. III I'NiINH NllS
best part of his days studying horses,
and thinks he's found good thing,
when up comes Il greCnhOrn that
can't tell u horse from huysccd,
spots an outsider and wins for
tune.
We'll, look here, Dick, you
needn't grudgo it to me. If Black
friar had lost, ! would have been u
bankrupt tomorrow. When can I
get the money!"
Good heavens, man, you don't
mean to say that all your luck was
on that horset Well, some people
ride forlorn hope and got home,
while others get thrown over the
rails. As to the money, can give
You my check tonight and settle
with the hookmuker tomorrow"
And ~ soon as the bank opened
i'll tn" morning l paid G3, 400 into
my account, and forwarded Il check
to my broker to cover my weeks
| losses
From that day the market rose
steadily, and II fortnight later l
cleared out with snug little e2O,-
600.
Some slN months after was leav-
ing my office To 20 home to my lit
tie house l.. Richmond, where my
scm wife was awaiting me. The
evening was raw and chill with q
driving rain. Passing beneath the
light of street lamp, man &C
costcd me and legged for aims.
II WINS the man who had sold me
tn" post dated paper.
Full of curiosity, l took him into
q public house near at hand, and,
having ordon cd some rcfreshment, !
turned To him.
"D0 you rCIWcmner," | asked,
"sclhng me, six months ago, n post
dated paper giving the winner of
the lntrrnationnlt'
"prrhnps l did" he answered.
NV" sold lots of them"
"ENplain."
''Well, You sec, sir, il is this way:
| There are Il lot of fools in this world
and 'hrl'" il no fool like IL sport
ing fool. y man can be persuaded
To back nything in II race. l had
II friend who had Il printing press
and | hit upon the idea of printing
Il paper to resemble The Evening
Moon, dating il Il day III advance
ana filling III the sporting column
with II few outside horses at long
prices. Then / haunted the hotels
and drinking bars until l spotted
my man, got into conversation with
him, put on Il mysterious air and
generally finished up with dispos-
ing of copy for half II sovereign. :"
But how did You como to place
Blacktrinr as the winner of the In
ternationalt'
Pure luck, sir, pure luck. l
knew no moro about tho horse than
IL babe unborn.
Giving the man Al sovereign de-
parted, rejecting upon the strange
fortunes that bcfall n man in this
life and blessing tho lucky chance
that led me to purchase a post
dated paper. '-LOndOn Tit Bits.