The Roanoke times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1897-1977, 1898-01-15

Hiiu W no actS or charity. Kelly was
III his element when at the race track.
DO got hold of more "good things" that
went wrong than the average bettor,
but he was always cheerful whether
winner or loser Ono day Mike went
over to Gutenberg, when the hilltop
track was flourishing, and after two
races had been run he had Just $50 and
enough change with which to get back
to the city AS Kel walked into the
betting ring preparatory to the third
race he saw on Bookmaker Ike Thomp-
sons slate:
Play or Pay. ....................... GO to
Meadows. ................ IN fo
Bitten Observation-Disclosures. 6to
I've got a system, me boy" said
the kim" to friend, "and it's peach
I'm going to put flyer on each o. them
plugs, and then can't lose, see? 1 got
to get some dough back, no matter how
they run"
"That's no system, Mike, said Kel's
friend
Its as good as tho average, SPORT
was tho quick retort, and Mike pushed
his way up to Thompson's book.
Say, there, Ike, old boy!" yelled
Mike. Here's four green flyers Put
one Oh each of them ponies, keep the
change, and gimme the tickets quick. -
Tho bookmaker laughed as he handed
kel four tickets, each calling for Play
or Pay 300 to 8, Meadows $50 to .,
Bitten to 8, Hoey 4 to 8 respective
~.
That's quito chance you're taking,
Mike, said Thompson, with a laugh.
1t is, if one O. them long guys comes
walkin i'll with the yellow boys in his
stockin," replied the ball player
Then the bell rang telling tho crowd
that the horses We're at the post
They're OFF, yelled Kelly, rs Start
er Caldwell dropped his flag. whats
that guy away out i'll front, running as
If he saw square meal somewhere?'
Its Play or Pay!" screamed hun
dreds. And SO it proved to be. The
horse had been the recipient of one of
those celebrated Gutenberg injections
and he won i'll romp
Kelly never ran bases faster than he
ran up to Ike Thompson's book, brand
ishing his ticket calling for $3O5.
Give us the green goods, Iker' he
roared, while the crowd gathered
around brcathlessly.
THERE'S your money" said Thomp-
son pleasantly, rs he took big roll of
bills from the cashier Kelly didn'tst stop
TO count it, but mado rush for the bar
room, crying out:
eff there's dust in any guys throat
around hero, let him como in with me
and wash it out. Everybody havo Il
drink" Tho bar looked like bargain
counter as he sports lined up They
called for everything from wine ia
cigarettes, and when all had had enough
kel said to the drink mixer:
How much, sport?''
''Fiftcen dollars, Kel!"
There's twenty. Havo bot your
sclf!'
Say, Mr.. Kelly" whispered tout
could you stake mo to Il few bucks:
I've got cinch. -
There's ten Of them, mo boy. Go
and break UP the betting ring" was
Kclly's response rs he forllcd out Il $40
bill. Other impecunious persons sue
cessfnlly touched him for various
amounts until Mike decided to plunge
again. Going up to book,aaker who
had 100 to l against the horse Dake
John. Mike cried out, "I'll put hun
dred OH that onen' and quickly produced
century, for which be received a tick
ct calling for $40. 600 to 500.
If Duke John WINS" said Mike,
HI'll buy the track" Duke John was
last i'll field of 10, bat Kelly only
laughed. And so he continued to specu-
late until tho races were over. Then he
had so bill and some change. He
paid the car and ferry fares of ut least
90 unfortunates, loaned 90 cents here
and quarter there. and by the time he
left the boat ut the foot of Forty second
street he had Il few pennies over SO. AS
kelly crossed Tenth avenue he caught
sight of little girl about years old
who was crying as if her heart would
break. He picked her up iii his arms
and said gently:
What's the matter, little one?'
Mamma S sick in bed and I'm hun
CRY, " sobbed the little girl Kel gulped
down lump i'll his throat, put the
child on the sidewalk, pressed SO into
her hand aud said soothingly:
There, give that 10 your mother, lit
tie one, and may God bless you.
Come on, SPORT Kel said to his
friend then. Were broke, but let's
hunt up some more green goods. He
soon borrowed $50 from his namesake,
Honest John Kelly. That was ut
O'Clock i'll the evening. At IL O'Clock
that same night he had won 81, 900 at
faro. The next day he caught the noon
boat for Gutenberg, and he had but
500 When Mike died, he didn't leave a
dollar -Nn1r Nn,.l- Su,,