Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-09-23
4 SENATOR AND A TOUT

Back In the "OlQ dayS'-a9 the racing
people speak of matters Of comparatively
| recent date. measured in years-when that
pool room was in operation out on the 7th
street road. one Of its frequent visitors was
a famous rough-and-read multi-million-
aire United States senator from the west,
who died a few years ago. The senator
owned a stable Of high-grade running
thoroughbreds himself, which he raced both
In the east and in the west. He raced them
exclusively at the San Francisco tracks
during the winter months, and. as hts du-
ties United States senator kept him in
Washington at that season, and as his
trainers often wired him information as to
the condition and winning chances Of his
racers. he was almost one of the regulars
out at the 7th street pool room. He was a
heavy bettor and generally heavy win
ner He always played according to the in
formation telegraphed him by his trainers
and he rarely bet on horses other than his
own. He was an approachable, easy-going
man. rather negligent as to his dress. and
1t always surprised the new patrons of the
pool room when the regulars pointed him
out as senator of the United States His
appearance furnished no particular reason
why ne should not be a United States SEN
ator. but his democratic. unassuming ways
We're naturally against that assumption in
the eyes of occasional or chance visitors
at the pool room.
chief trainer in San Francisco. saying that
a certain famous race mare in the stable
call her Yo LOco-was right on edge and
"ouid WIN the mile race in which she was
entered tnat day to certainty So the
senator got into cab ana went out to the
!th street pool room to put some money on
his race mare. He nodded to the "regu-
lars around the room who knew him. and
then took seat in the rear of the room
tipped his SLOUGH hat over his eyes. and
waited for the race in which Yo Loco was
entered to get of. It happened that a new
tout had made his appearance in the nooI
room that day-a check-suited, squatty
freckled-faced individual, who talked Bow
eryesque out of one corner of his mouth
IN hoarse indispensable usual tout type
except that this one knew it all. The gang
who Infested the 18th street institution
weren't particularly easy people for touts
SO TINS newcomer got what is known as the
frosty face pretty unanimously when he
edged up to supposedly live ones" and
started to exude his wisdom as to the things
that were going to happen when the racers
at the various tracks named on the big
niackboard were off" He finally edged
up behind the senator gave him a light
poke In the back with his right forefinger
ana said In his hoarse whisper:
isay cap got good ting. an youse
looks like de right people, so ri mt youse
mex" ~ ''-''
The senator looked around at the chap,
sized him up in one glance. and said
Go ahead. ombrey."
IN de mex race OATS moral an a lead
pipe, II one o dat kind ever happened"
sald the tout eloquently. Its baby an
youse kin tap on it. I've got wire in me
KICK now dat reached me dis mOrnin' from
wise guy OATS tranin' string out dere.
an he says dis one is de surest jam dat
was ever ct up. De on'y way de plug kin
lose he says, is t. fall down. Saws he kin
take maps between all de poles an den win
ting. cap?"
The senator smiled at the chap from be-
meath the brim of his hat.
Whats your cinch horses name?" he
asked.
Hickory Jim." replied the tout Hell
be at all kinds O. prices. He's 90 t. 1 now
in de house-bettin' but wen de bettin'
from de track comes in he'll be 40 t 1 or
over. He's pie, an no mistake"
DO you like him to VIM asked the
senator, lazily.
Il like him all tree ways-foist. secon'
an t show-but he'll win by furlong"
Isn't that a pretty fair mare in the race
what do-you -call-her?-Yo Loco?"
Cap, she's a dead one," whispered the
tout, earnestly She's what dey call a
use-t'-was. She can't beat a army mule
desc days. nor a steam roller. She won't
be one, two, tree. Play de one I got up
me sleeve an yousell buy de gig-lamps."
The senator smiled vaguely again, and
reached into his trousers pocket. He pull
ed out "wad big enough to stuff a horse
collar, as the racing people say, and he
81 know de owner O. dis Yo Loco fly"
the tout was meanwhile saying, IAN he
tole me hisself dat she's ony good FIR soap
grease desc days.
The senator's jaws snapped peculiarly
when the man said this, but he handed the
tout the three bills without much of
show of interest.
Put these on your Hickory Jim all three
ways, he said, briefly, and the tout, who.
oddly enough, really did think that he had
a good thing" in Hickory JIM went right
UP and put the money on the horse all
three ways-the betting had just come in,
and the price was 40 to l to win, Is to 1
a place and to l third. The senator's
horse, 70 Loco, was at to to win. and
the senator nodded one of the pool. room
attaches over to where he sat and gave
him two $500 bills to put on Yo Loco to
win. Then he pulled his hat over his eyes
again and leaned back to wait for the race
to be called off by the operator Just be
fore the operator began to describe the
race as II flashed over the wire. the
tout walked over to where the senator sat
and handed him the ticket on Hickory Jim.
The senator brushed it aside.
You can have it II your nag wins he
said, coolly. and the tout's eyes stuck out
with surprise and wonder.
What. cap, de whole bunch?" he asked
Yes" said the senator, dryly. L meant
to give you the money to put on the mare
that's going to win, but
They're off at San Francisco" called
out the operator just then. ''Yo Loco in
romp by fifteen lengths. and Hickory Jim
never got a whistle" as the saying goes.
for any part of the money. one. two. three.
Il meant. as l was saying. TO let you put
the money on the winner for yourself"
said the senator. when the operator called
out, "Yo Loco wins, gallopng." But when
you had the cool. emil gall to tell me that
you possessed confidential acquaintance
ship with the owner of 70 Loco-a fact
which ] had grave reason to Doubt de-
cded to permit you, at my expense, to land
on one that had no earthly chance in life
to win
The tout's mouth was wide open as the
senator rose yawned, stretched himself
and walked over to the paying-of desk.
where he was handed 5000 in currency of
the realm. The tout was right behind the
senator when the latter pocketed the big
of