Evening star., 1898-12-03

l IN
VA ~%A an ovation behind
ssv the scenes. She was
hugged and congratulated. The princina,s
of the company. male and female. ad-
dressed her respectfully as Miss" through
out the evening, forgetting to call her
simply. "Tottie," as usual It was not the
demure, wistful-eyed girls birthday. either
Nor had she been informed that she had
fallen heiress to a million pund Nor had
she announced her betrothal to any he
diamoned son of Millionaire brewer She
had simply been out to the Benning race
track, with three of her chorus chums dur
ing the afternoon. and. in the words of the
sepulchral-voiced male principal of the
company, the world was her'n." All of
the scenery was stuck together with candy
in consequence, and the company's per-
formance on this Friday night was as bril-
liant first-night affair, when all hands
actually try. And it all came about because
the demure, wistful-eyed little girl of the
chorus, who always dressed entirely in
black on the street, had a square deter
mined jaw, for ali Of her big trusting
brown eyes, and because she exercised
pure. unalloyed bunch" out at the BEN
ming race track, and because what she did
to the benevolent bookmakers out there
was. However, the story needs telling
in detail.
The four chorus girls, accompanied by a
red-vested. brilliant young male person of
the cast, braved the dismal rain and the
cold and ent out to the track on the top
of a tallyho. They had made arrange
ments to go, and so they went, despite the
dismalness. Three of the young women
were of the average chorus girl type-New-
marketed rrstle-skirted, complaisant and
self-possessed The fourth girl was the he.
roine of this truthful tale-the demure girl
dressed all in black, with the trustful-look-
I, IyNtr +har
The male member of the comic opera COM
rany looked and talked as if he knew all
about the horses. That is to say, he had a
pair of field glasses slung over his shoulder,
and he said that he knew all about the
horses. Consequently, he must have.
Her Simple Views.
Before starting out TO the track each of
the five had bought an official program of
the races. The red-vested young man ran
over the card with a display of very great
wisdom indeed.
"Charagrace's a cinch for the first race
said he, with fiat-like decision.
But don't you think The Winner will
VIM" anxiOusly inquired the chorus girl
with the Roman ribbon draped around her
Alpine hat.
what for?" inquired the young man,
speaking from a great height. For
what? There's no milk cart in this race. If
there was maybe The Winner'd beat it.
This is a horse race. you know. There are
thirteen going to run, but there's only one
horse in 1t. Nothing To it but Charagrace."
But look at that name-The Winnerr'
persisted the girl Now, how can The
Winner lose?"
Say, Aggie,' said the young man. with
deep comniseration in his eyes. talk low.
Don't give yourself away. They'll be kid
ding YOU This is a one-horse race, and
there's nothing to it but Charagrace.
have spoke"
Then the taiiy-ho pulled into the track
lnclosure, and the five took their places in
the stand overlooking the track, which was
q sea of mud
Well" said the chorus girl with the
Roman ribbon on her hat 'if / bet two
dollars that old Charagrace thing then
what do L win If he wins and beats The
Winner?'
Price is . to !, man on the steps told
me- was the wise youths reply You get
to ,. and it'll be just like finding that
much IN your last years gum coat
Working II system.
So the girl passed him over her 81 to be
placed on Charagrace. Then the two other
girls of the ordinary chorus girl type pass
ed their - bills to the male font of wis
dom who could see nothing but Charagrace.
1t was up to the demure little thing, and
ingly.
Once said the demure little thing look
ing up at them wistfulIy, Il met a giddy
put gentiemanly. little English bad boy
named Ablngdon-'Sq Squire Abingdon. they
called him-you remember. | met him down
IN New orleans a little while before he
died, and he wasn't a bit fresh like they
say he was. Now. there's a horse in this
race named Abingdon. 1 think he'll win.
l like Abingdon"
The young man who had Sc of the other
three girls Lexington Pirate money looked
at Ine Wistfui7eyed little thing pityingy:
Say, he said, after a pause. don't make
any money bonfires In the stand. You'll set
1t afre-honest, you will. If me uncle over
IN Long Island City couldn't beat Abingdon
IN 1our-mle race with both his legs in a
Abingdon's a 80 to l shot in this race and
he couldn't keep up with land crab going
backward You pain me-honest."
The big, trustful-looking brown eyes of
tne demure little woman of the chorus
binked, and her face set.
Just put this 81 bill on Abingdon for me,
TO win, VIII you, pease?' she said, passing
the young man the money.
oh, Well" said the youth. compassion
ateiy, as long as I'm not travelling in this
hearse-of course
SO he went down to the betting ring and
put $6 of the chorus girls money on Chara-
grace, the favorite. to win The 81 of the
shy little thing he placed on Abingdon, the
| cutslder <tt 80 to l. to win. grinning Sheep
ishly at the bookmaker and getting a su-
perlof smile In return as he did so.
| You're all on" said he to the girls when
ne returned to the stand. and then the
horses trailed to the post through the driz-
| znhg rain 1t was a mile race. and the
start was made directly in front of the
grand stand. There was a long delay be-
tore the barrier, owing to the cutting up of
three or four of the horses and several
! false breaks In allsof the breaks Chara-
| grace, the favorite showed well.
Yet Abingdon. Won.
Why" said the wise youth to the four
| chorus girls, there's nothing to 1t but
Charagrace. Look atsthat Abingdon-dopey
| as hasheesher Il bet lie had two pals
| full of water before he came out. Standing
there like a stuffed horse in a carriage
! shop. Ii he runs thirteenth, I'll eat me-
| Now they're OFF," the shout went up.
| Charagrace, the fayerite, got very bad
| Dreak, and when the boy OLeary got the
| morse under way he was half a furlong be-
| hind the leaders
The wise youth with the chorus girls
| didnt see the race at all. He was too busy
| hurling deep maledictions at the starter to
| see anything. The three girls who had
| played Charagraee. were too busy regarding
| the wise young man reproachfully to see
| much of the race, etther-that is, they
| didn't look at 1t until the horses rounded
| the Tar turn. when the remarks of man
near them, with pair of field glasses glued
| to his ewes. arOuSad&f d&fham