The San Francisco call., 1899-03-12

attend the races, and, like scores of 9TH
ers. when her money gave out she bor-
rowed from a racing man she had met.
He was anxious to help her-solicitous of
her welfare! To be paid back of course,
out of her winnings Yes to be paid out
of her winnings, but she only got deeper
and deeper in debt until within the past
year she was irretrievably so. Now her
friend" has been paid. Not with
money
Owing doubtless to its proximity to the
Ingleside track, the Mission furnishes
many regulars" of the fair sex to swell
the gate receipts and the bookmakers'
pockets One woman, whose husband is
a lawyer of prominence and q highly re-
spected citizen, is a racetrack "tiend,'
and never misses a day. She is a pretty,
refined looking woman, and no one would
suspect that she was a hardened gambler
of the races. l am informed that her
husband has tried to break up her mania
for betting in every way, but without
avail. She has lost a fortune there, but,
like hundreds of others, she still plays
and hopes some day to win back her
money.
Another husband in the Mission has
just discovered that his wife has Sc
cretiy been playing away all their saw
ings at the racetrack. 1t is another house
hold that has been trampled down by
that car of juggernaut-the racetrack
This woman has been given a certain
amount by her husband each month to
pay the running household expenses. A
few days ago he was accosted on the cor
ner while waiting for his car by the fruit
and vegetable man that supplied his
family. The dealer asked Mr.. - if he'd
kindly pay some money on his bill. The
merchant was dumfounded and thought
there must be some mistake. "Why,
don't owe you anything" he protested.
My wife pays you each month";
and l haven't received a cent on ac-
count" replied the dealer.
The husband hastened home, after hav-
ing gone the rounds of the butchers and
grocers, only to find the bills there in
the same condtion-nO payment for al
most a year. He demanded an eXpIana-
tion from his wife.
She cowed before him, and leading him
to a closet opened drawer, and what
met his angry eyes but stacks of racing
tickets and score cards.
The mills of divorce grind slowly, but
they grind exceeding surei
A poor, Woodworking Irish girl, pre-
maturely old and weather-beaten, not
only lost her scant earnings at the track
one day last week, but in getting change
for the only five-dollar piece she had
in the world from the ticket-Seller at the
gate he passed off consciously or un-
consciously two counterfeit dollars She
"
she told me that she had come out to
play the races in order to pay the rent.
as it was due and she was threatened
with forcible election.
'All 1 had on earth was that s., and 1t
cost me a dollar to get in, and 1 have
these two worthless things thrust upon
me by that Villainous ticket-seller. Oh,
my God and the saints, 1 wish l was
dead and in the bottom of the sea.
am so unlucky, and I have no place to
sleep tonight if I don't pay the rent.
What's the use of trying to live?"
The excitement of an incoming race
is fearful to witness. When the horses,
driven like mad by the Jockeys, pull and
tug to pass each other. while every mus
Gle in their bodies quivers and their eyes
Continued on Page Twenty-six.