Omaha daily bee., 1902-07-06

- 80
- a little more of a run for your
money, though, on Jim Dandy"
"Oh, give me Jim Dandy, then, by all
means"
The first speaker was a dear old woman,
and he who advised Jim Dandy looked
suspiciously like her son. With her was
another old woman, just as sweet as she.
They were delightful persons, who knew
exactly what to do with any baby when
it woke up in the night with a pain in its
little tummy, but there they were, betting
away at the races and having the time of
their lives.
Is it true that, given an opportunity,
women are more reckless gamblers than
men? Really, a visit to the race track
would seem to show some truth in the
assertion.
There is rather an impression that the
women who care, financially, which horse
is first at the post, who turn pale when
they see a yellow and black blouse jostle
one of purple and blue from the inside
position. are necessarily of the loud" va
riety, with hair that even Charity herself
must admit to be at least suspicious. Such
is not the case. At a great race in this
country, as in those across the water, all
sorts and conditions of women are to
be found. Some are of aggressive per
sonality, truly, but the majority are ordl-
nary, nice women out for a holiday.
But the things that they do when fortune
favors them or disaster overtakes their
sporting ventures, are not always ordinary
There are women who play the races
with the persistency of the "sportiest'
man, who are born and by custom gam
blers. These haunt the track at all races.
They go alone; they do not put on their
n-- - H. hon, Iftt1o or No nnntinn
one way or the other. With them business
is business. The more interesting portion
of the spectators is that made up of
women who follow the sporting columns
of the newspapers with more or less in
terest and see the track two or three
times a season. Their emotions are not
blunted; their enthusiasm has not eyap-
GRATED with habit. They can, and do, make
a great deal of noise.
The types Of a racetrack! 1t is the place
of all places for the student of human
nature. Every grade of society is repre-
scented. Up aloft are the rich and great,
in boxes which have the advantage over
those of the theater in that one can see
SSbm them; but this disadvantage, that
zones gowns cannot be on exhibition. Be-
low, on the benches of the grandstand, sit
the women who did not come in parties or
who do not expect to be rich until after the
race Of the day has been run. The huge
~grandstand stretches away beyond the win
ming post on each side, but all can see well
enough. and even IL one couldn't the scraps
of conversation which float around the seats
are almost as interesting as the spectacle
on the track.
Down near the front OF the grandstand
one finds the enthusiasts who came early
to secure the best seats. Over the railing
are spread sheets and sheets Of newspapers
which give the past performances" OF the
runners. A woman of this type has a pen
ell and gla1ces continually from her racing
card to the papers as she makes notes
She works hard-she has come there tc
make money, and is not going to bet mere
ly on the horse with the prettiest name
From the direction of the betting rims
comes her escort; she leans over In eX'
citement and consults with him for a few
minutes. Then she hands over to him
pile Of greenbacks, and he disappears L
place her money. For women, even tn
sportiest, are forbidden the charmed pre-
cincts of the betting ring. CWait, though
till we have woman suffrageD Then, /
one is interested in such types, on,
watches the girl as the race is called. Sh,
stands up and fixes her field glasses. He
face changes its expression on an averag,
OF once a second. She shouts encourage
ment to the horse OF her choice, dance
about wildly as he presses hard on the on
in the lead, and collapses limp in her sea
when the rival orange and green dashe
in first, But she is a good loser; mos
women at the racetrack have that virtue
she even smiles at the winning jockey