New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1902-06-11
HERMAN's SUDDEN TUMBLE
THE MAYORS BOOTBLACK LOSES 90, 40.
AT THE TRACKS THIS sEAsoV

Herman. the Mayors bootblack" as he -,
been called for many years. and his susso-
tumble from affluence to hardpaa poverty =,
story that made the jewellers in City Hail D.,
game with wonder yesterday. Herman sta-,as
out the racing season at Aqueduct wear,n,
patent leather shoes and riding to the track =,
an automobile if he liked Yesterday in in con
cealed melancholy, he took his chances VIII
the other bootblacks in the City Hall Park and
shined shoes for five cents pair. II HERNIA,
and his friends can be believed. Herman has
lost s24. 900 at the racetracks this season, ana
now watches for a turn in the tide Of luck to
get back a part Of his fortune
I'll get it back-Tn get it back said Her.
man yesterday I'm a good loser-I-shiua
boss? Shine? Only f. cents-shine?''
Tell US about the hard luckg' said n.
Tribune reporter as Herman toppled over HI,
backing kit and proceeded to put on the pre-
Iiminary coating of moisture preparatory to :
coating of black.
you're de tent wot's asked fur de tale" ssss
Herman. somewhat sadly. Herman is abou,
thirty-five years old, well dressed, and over In
Rrooklvn he has wife and children. Only when
he is somewhat excited does he drop into slang
At other times his English is first rate.
ut gives me something like a headache to
think of it," said Herman, because a year ago
at this time l was at Gravesend rolIn' in
wealth, wild all kinds O. money You see. I've
bet on the races more or less all my life bur
last year wuz the banner year 1 started in
with s46 earned from shines. and about az
much more won from crapshooting IN the mid
die of May last year and I struck nothin' but
good luck all the way Made KILN at every
turn. Couldn't go wrong if 1 tried. The longer
- Ian ell
was saying, / had about hundred to start in
on. and everything came my way Inside of
week I had 5000. and I thought I would cut
out the layin' o bets. So I came back to City
Hall Park and shined Van Wyck's uppers. and
knocked around whistlin' good luck songs. and
poundin' tn leather with 5000 in my inside
pocket.
NV wife didn't know a thing about II. or
she'd a had half of 1t. I told her I was dom
my regular work. same as usual / stuck TO
shdnin' fur week. an the money kept burnin'
a IoIe in nv pocket. You can beat the game
a little voice whispered to me. so 1 gave my
kit away and shook hands with the booknaksss
that same day Say. il was great Everything
nv way I couldn't lose Twenty TO one was
lust as good goin' fur me as . to 4. When
quit the season last fall l had about S40Ote
TO the good. I was reekin' wild money YOU could
smell it on hated to go TO sleep Ior Iear
that when l woke up it would De a dream
When nv heart beat could feel IL TICK through
d waddin' Of 500 bills. an that goes wore
glad rags at night and went TO the tneatre' anu
ate twice a. the Waldorf.
.sT began 10 slump durin' the winter. and
should have stayed out OF the game this spring.
But couldn't II didn't seem right TO leave 50
many good things around loose: started IN
this spring at AQueduct with $4,000. My luck
was on the blink from the fall Of the flag but
1 thought it wouldn't last 1t lasted all rgnt,
though. and was soon up agalnS ST. II. Ny ny
all right. My tip was Animosity. and was SO
sure that had it right that put all my dough
on one throw. The price on luminosity started
at to l. but when 1 went down the line the
price changed to 3 to l and then 10 ; to .. NV
money all on, and sat back to watch my
KILN"
''Well?" said the reporter.
lever hear of a nag called Lucky star?
asked Herman, stopping the shining long enough
to glance UP. his face wearing sort OF slckE
grin ''I- remember that nag'S name can sea
her legs moving around that track yet KIN
see her ies' as plain as l kin see this shoe on
this block Lucky Star made Animoslty look
like horsef1y on sheet OF patent STICKY
dvpaper. She ran away from Animosity-loped
away from her. Then 1 walked around and
tried to realize that l was up against it.
looked at my shoes. They were the same shoes
that 1 wore the week before, and when went
to bed at night 1 stuffed my fortune up in the
toes OF them shoes. leaving s. in my clothes, so
that If I was touched the guy WOULD tnlnk %
was all L had
wei. amt had any fortune since April 10;
When I told the boOkieS what had happened
to me- they says oh, well. never mind, you IL
come back And then they said they'd trust me
for a while. but 1 soon found my luck was on
the bum After hanSin' around the track for d
week or two and findin' that l couldn't get my
stride again. went and had consultation WIZ
my wife, and she said We was just as happy
when I was shinin' shoes as when was rae
ing rnagnate and advised me TO go back 70
shfnin' shoes. I tried my luck again once or
twice on borrowed money, but II was no go. anC
here 7 am earning an honest living again.
was that clean busted that didn't have money
enough to buy blackin'. but a friend OF mine
threw me a life preserver in the shape or
bIacking outfit I've got to pay him for it on
Saturday night. I'm goin to try the ponies
again. 1 think my luck will come back if
stick to it long enough There you are, boss
he said as he finished the second shoe. say.
said he as he received the dime. the price -
only fl cents, but if you say keep the dtne-aH
right much obliged