The times., 1898-06-27
COL. RICKEY IN LONDON.
The Missouri Philosopher Has an
Interesting Adventure.
(From the New York Journal)


for his discovery of the value OF lines
in association with gin-was lOungtng in
the corridor of the Hotel Cecil. There was
a rather good looking and zgeH-dressed
young man also lounging in the hotel
corridor with a pair of racing glasses
slung over his shoulder. The horse
yearninS. das ewig Pferdhche. came upon
Mr. Hickey at the sight OF the racing
glasses, and he approached the rather
good looking and well-dressed young man.
who may be called Mr.. Flash, and asked
him which was the best way 10 get to the
race track The heart Of Mr., Flash
thumped against his breast. for he knew
Mr. Hickey by reputation and that he
was ready money The two entered into
conversation and I'm a very few minutes
the Missouri statesman had accepted the
others invitation 10 drive TO Epson with
him. Mr.. Flash explained that ne was
waiting for a young gentlemen. the son
Of well-known New York banker. who
for the purpose of this narrative may be
called Mr.. Cash, and whose real name
satisfied Mr.. Hickey that Mr.. Hickey was
medsurably in IL on the occasion in ques-
ton. In due time Mr.. Cash made his ap-
pearance: a smart trap with a smart
coachman and fOOtman, with hamper
of lunches and a half dozen OF cham
pagne under the drivers seat, drove up
before the Cecil door. and Mr.. Hickey
and his new friends bOwled gayly out 10
EPSON Downs, stopping 10 pick up a gem
tleman at his chambers in Jermyn Street.
who may be called Mr.. Splash
The rest is soon told. Arrived at Ep-
som, Mr.. Flash suggested that each man
chip in $50. or 800. on The Tinman for
the Headley Plate, at the starting price,
explaining to Mr.. Hickey that IL was nee
essary for some one who was know TO a
bOokmaker 10 put the money on Ac-
cordingly, each man, including the Mis-
souri, stateman, produced his &20. and
Mr.. Flash went away and bet it. The
Tinnan won at - to s and Mr.. Flash
paid them their winnings. The next race
was the great Surrey Breeders FOal
Plate. and Mr.. Splash suggested that they
each put Gl0J on that. and that Mr.. Flash
should follow his luck and go and select
the horse. Ar- Flash argued. however.
that E100 each was pretty high play for
mere gentlemanly amusement, and ap-
pealed 10 Mr.. hickey and Mr. Cash for
confirmation OF his view. Both gentle
men were willing TO risk IL. nevertheless,
and Mr.. Flash went away with 600 be-
sides his own &1JO, 10 put the money on
He did not come back until after the race
was over and then ne was jovially down
cast He had, he said, put the 500 on
Sir Hercules, and 81. Simon had won.
Mr.. Splash now suggested that they get
their money back by putting E2o8 each
on a good thing in the Royal Plate. the
good thing TO be selected also BY Mr..
Flash. who. he said, was one OF the luck
lest bettOrs on a long average IN England.
Mr.. Flash again demurred TO the amount.
on the ground that he didn't like 10 take
on so much responsibility. particularly as
one gentleman present did not know any
thing about him and might think evil OS
him in case the money was lost, but was
finally induced to accept the commission
Hickey offered to go with Mr.. Flash
TO see how betting was done in England,
but Mr. Splash feared that strangers )
as public wagering on horses was tick
lish matter on an English Fase track.
The upshOt of the matter was that Mr.
Flash again went away before the race
and did not come back until after it had
been run. when he brought the gloomy
intelligence that he had put the $500 on
Northern Farmer. which was still run
ming, while ROthschild's FoscO had cap
tured the stakes Messrs- Flash and
Splash now decided that luck was against
them. and that it would be sinful 70 risk
any more OF their own or Of their friends
money in the circumstances
The Hon Joseph Hickey pondered a
great deal during the drive home. but it
was not until he had arrived at the Cecil
and observed broad grins on the counte-
nances of several of his friends when ne
alighted from Mr.. FIash's wagon that he
began 10 believe that ne had probably
been had-as they say in polite society in
London After some converse ton with
these friends who declined his invitation
10 meet Messrs. Flash and Splash. Mr.
Hickey realized fully that he had been
buncoed-that there had been no bets
made at EPSON at all and that Messrs.
Flash and Splash had divided $500. or
$3.50 of his and Mr.. Cash's money Mr..
Hickey estimated that. sUbtracting his
first winning. he was out personally about
SI,400. and Immediately proceeded 10 tell
all his friends about il. before they could
tell the story about him-which was wise.
Mr.. Hickey has had bit OF satisfaction
out of Mr. Flash, however. He slapped
that smooth gentIeman's face last night
in the presence of an assembled multi
tude in the smoking room Of the Hotel
Cecil. when he came up 10 TemOnstrate
with the MiSsourian for intimating that
| the transactions at EPSON We're not on
| the square.
However. Messrs. Flash and Splash
I can afford to have their faces slapped
I without resentment These two. and
| three OF four other members Of the same
I gang. have swiUdled visiting Americans
I in London TO the amount of ten OF
/ fifteen thousand dollars that can be
/ counted up from the confidential admis-
/ siOns of men who have lost II. within the
/ last month or six weeks
| FRANK MARSHALL WHITE.