The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-07-30

under TIE saddle. and it is then that he is
watched most critically. His hands, his,
seat, his judge of pace are studied care
fully From then on he makes his en-
ployer's life a burden with his pleadings
for mount. Not one in twenty of the
stable boys ever get this far. but the sta
bic owners must take care of the failures
until they are Of age. One day the chance
comes to the most promising boy a horse
is entered in race. The owner thinks ne
has no chance to win, and doesn't want the
animal punished. So the staNe boy gels
his apprentice license and mount. This an
prentice license carries with it a conces-
sion of five pounds in weight If the jockey
wins or rides a particularly good race The
future opens easily before him. If he Is
a really good Jockey he wins fame quickly
Then there are horse owners ready to
bid for his services. From a stable boy
he becomes a person of consequence. He
is relieved of the drudgery, but he must
stil be at the track at $3.50 in the morn
ing, and work out horses until seven or
eight O'Clock.
The master of the apprentice could keep
all of the boys earnings II he chose. But
as a rule his release is purchased out
right, the price carrying from $1,000 to
$4,000 according to circumstances, or an
arrangement may be made on a percent
age basis. Usually the boys family, if he
has one, gets the lions share of his earn
ings.
In character jockeys range from little
downright toughs to very well behaved
boys. They come from every grade.'
Odom's career differs rom that of the
other boys just as he is different. He is
a Georgian, and he speaks with the pro-
nounced accent of the far South. His
voice is very musical, end he has the in
nate courtesy and poiteness Of the South
His father was a horse owner and no
man loves the thoroughbred more than
he.
George Odom is one Of nine children.
His elder brother. Jack Odom, who is %,
is a trainer. The other boys have no love
for horses Mock. who is the next young
est to George, has pronounced musical tai
ent. He is a very handsome boy and the
dude of the family. He is very slender and
his legs are abnormally long. They are built
upon the plan of Fitzsimmons' legs. They
are thin and like steel. He hasn't any
torso to speak of, but his arms are long,
his neck thin. His hands are most
strangely indicative of his business. They
are very large and strong, but admirably
shaped They are the most muscular
thing about him. The tissue Is very firm,
yet there is suppleness about them.
Odom is said to have far and away the
best hands" of any jockey riding to-day.
=
shaped, with a firm little mouth, strong
yet deiicetey cut chin, a good brow and
very steady gray eyes. He has an air OF
GOODNESS, of poise and decision. He has
dignity, too and yet is a plain. laughing
fun-loving boy, who would never disgrace
himself in any society. lie has been very
well brought up. His father who knows
what the race-track is, believes that it is
more important that his son should grow
up to be an honest, stra shtforward, man
ly man than be a great Jockey, but he
thinks he should be both,
The life Of Odom is happy enough. He
gets up at O'Clock in the morning and
rides TO the race-track on his bicycle. He
works out horses until $50 when he bf elk-
fasts. Then he works out another batch.
After he has finished, he rides down to
the beach ard has a SWIM He rides home
Tomps with the younger children or plays
| bail until dinner-time. After dinner he
goes to the track. He comes home after
the races and plays bah or reads until sup
per tine. He gees to bed a $3.50 o'clock.
His success has not changed him. He
Is very modest, and the evil of the race
tracks has made no impression upon him.
The contrasts Of The race-track is shown
by the career of little McCue, who Will
probably be Odoms great rival next year
He was picked up by James Dillon, a
| hoTseman. in a Brooklyn saloon. McCue
| was then neWSD1y, or ~ years oiu. DI-
/ Ion liked the boys appearance and he
saw that his physique suggested a jockey
He questioned the boy, and found that he
was, an orphan whose parents had been
! dlpsomaniacs.
Come down to the track and I'll make
a jockey of you" sad Dillon one day
and McCue gladly agreed. He was regu-
larly Appended, but he didn't get along
very well Dillon worked hard with him
and last autumn McCue suddenly devel-
oped into remarkably good rider. Dillon
received $3.50 10 relase him to Tom Heal
| ey. He rides this year under an appren-
tees license. Next season he will he get
| ting $4,000 a year il he can keep his her
editary weakness In cheek.