The Washington times., 1902-01-26
A DARK HORSE
AND SC0RCHER
How a Newspaper Man Failed
to Back a Good Thing.
TRUSTED ROLL TO 4 C0LORED BOY
Scribe Rejoiced When Told His Nag
Had Come Home I'm Front, but
Was soon Made Sad.

This is tale of dark horse with
black name, and a dark boy with black
i heart. 1t ought to be set up in black
| face type and surrounded with a mourn
| ing border.
They're off:
A man worked on a newspaper. That's
bad start. But never mind. The no.
recall system goes. He worked on
newspaper and he followed the horses"
mo. he was not a car-driver. He worked
on a newspaper. He simply followed the
horses"
few days ago he got tip. II you or
I, gentle and intelligent reader. had got a
tip, we should have at once taken the
money and sent it in an envelope, with a
note to the bookmaker. telling him to buy
wine with it, or put it to any other pur-
pose that suited him. We, being gentle
and intelligent. wouldn't have wasted
time betting the money-just sent it
along and let the matter end right there.
The Kind of Cinch He Had.
This newspaper man wasn't gentle and
| intelligent. He was a newspaper man.
He sought out one of his kind: Say, I've
got copper-riveted air-tight, lead pipe
cinch at New Orleans today. Want part
| of it?''
The other said of course he wanted
| part of it. Did you ever hear of man
of this class who wouldn't leave home and
| mother to get down on an unknown guam
| ity? Makes not a particle of difference
who gives him the information. Just SO
it's tip; that's enough
What is it? asked the other, breath
lessly.
''Shh," said the newspaper man. He
was afraid some of the common herd
| might hear his information and grow rich
in a day. "Shh' It's Black JOSH"
Pound II to n PuIp.
Great" said the other; Ought we to
plunge on it?"
We ought to pound it to pulp" said
the newspaper man. Well back him
off the boards and make the bookies
shrek for mercy"
To this end they made up purse of $40.
II isn't very cold, anyway. What need
has healthy gentleman of an overcoat?
Now, said the newspaper man, well
! send it over. Here, you black boy
He called colored Mercury, with BIZ
tions to ride like the wind. and, whether
dead or alive deliver it to the book
| maker and receive therefor a ticket with
the name of BlacE Josh inscribed upon it.
The colored bcy departed. His spokes
flew so fast you'd have thought there were
no spokes there al all. He was a rider,
| this colored pcy.
Also, the time passed. The newspaper
man and the Other waited impatiently.
Finally they telephoned. The newspaper
man was at the phone.
Who won the fourth race" This much
was heard IL. Inc office where the tele-
| phone stood. Then next was a wild
whoop.
You don't say"
! Then he turned to the other.
Black Josh won" he shouted. The
other whooped some himself.
Black Josh Romped Home.
How did he VIM" This you might also
hear in the room where the telephone
hung. Then another whoop, and the news
paper man turned to the other.
He just romped home, Billy, he said,
what do you think of that?" Then he
inquired through the phone:
What odds"
The answer caused him to jump so high
he knocked his head against the ceiling.
His arm brushed the telephone instru-
mcnt and brought 1t to the floor with
loud crash.
Billy" shr;rked the newspaper man,
THE odds were twenty to one
Forty dollars at 20 to / means $500
! The newspaper man ana the other
couldn't believe it. They didn't believe
there was so much money in the world
They we're dazed for half an hour.
policeman walked in. Say, he said.
"ary one of you men got colored boy
named Sam working for you?
The newspaper man said he had col
ored boy named Sam working for him
Sam had been sent on message. lie
/ nudged the other
The Fate of CoIOrcd Sam.
well" said the policeman, Sans
/ locked up around at the First precinct
station"
What for?' asked the newspaper man.
"Scorchin','' said the policeman, la
| conicalIy. What shall | do with him?"
"Oh, turn him loose" said the news
! paper man. We'll stand for his fine"
! Eight hundred strong would cover many
/ a paltry fine!
The policeman departed.
Sam did not return. 1t transplred that
| he had been arrested FIVE minutes after
| leaving the Office.
| on his release he had become fright
ened. He was hard to find.
| Everything Was Gone.
| In the morning the newspaper man and
| the other were called on to pay SO to
| the court because Sam had scorched not
| wisely, but too fast.
| The bicycle was gone.
| Sam was gone.
The $40 was gone.
| Likewise the $40.
And Black Josh had won at odds OF
| 20 to l.