The Washington times., 1903-09-20

SmlleS huOhlu6A9 mAOh hO
hears the boys talking about the races.
He declares he has not seen a race in
ten years, but he appears to understand
the lingo. and apparently likes to hear
the boys talk and speculate upon the
winners just the same as though he had
money up on the game.
The other day a friend asked him
point blank what he knew about racing.
and being IN a communicative mood be
told a story which beats any of the re-
cent tales of hard luck followed by a
killing on the race track. The old fell
low said his experience was connected
with the early operations Of Steve
L'Hommedie@ who is now one of the
prominent hgures In the sporting world.
In those days Steve lived In Washington.
and was even then trying his wings as a
plunger for the higher flights he has
taken In recent years. The depart
mental clerk had been attending the
races for some time and. though his
resources were small. he had snug
pile TO the good when he fell in with
L'Hommedieu He told his story as fol-
lows
at that time L'Hommedieu made his
headquarters in Washington, because he
found It warmer here during the hard
winters than in some other places and
because there used 70 be summer racing
here. He was only a plunger in embryo
then, but even then he had the plunger's
nerve, If he did lack the resources. he
didn't have a solitary attribute of the
piker, whereas was born one.
Took Leave in Sections.
Il had Just slid into the departmental
service, and when they started to race
at the old St. Asaph track, across the
Potomac in Virginia, took my sannual
leave in halliday sections Of afternoons.
with the nebulous idea of running a
shoemakers bank roll into Shoe and
Leather Bank. ! had often met L'Hom-
medieu around town before the begin
ming OF the races, and ! resumed any
acquaintanceship with him at the St.
Asaph track.
MY Government pay was pretty small
then Ny wife and were living in a
dingy boarding house. and by the time l
got through paying the board what was
left OF my wages was mere metallic
junk But by the time the st. Asaph
meeting was a week old 1 was just 5000
TO the good.
81 flashed that colossal bundle on Steve
OH the in-train from the track.
Look what I've done to en- l said
to him. gloatingly. And they're never
going to feel the heft of this wad again
I'm through. I'm going to start house
keeping with this wealth
"L'Hommedieu took the wad. shufied
1t. handed It back to me. and shook his
head.
Isn't enough OF it, he said. Tint
might set you up in housekeeping in
Manayunk or scituate or Ipswich. but
it'll never do it in Washington.
by the time you pay the first INSTALL
ment on the furniture. and a months
rent In advance. and make the dig to
have the gas turned on, and cough up
for the moving. and stake the harder to a
bottle OF queen olives and jug of Wor-
cestershire sauce. not to mention Few
incidentals. why. you're all In. Better
nurse that roll along little more
His view of my housekeeping project
rather disconnected me. The 5000 did
look kind O. small when l got looking It
over.
I'll spin Il along to a thousand for
you tomorrow IL you want to take a
chance L'Hommedieu put in, while I
was still wabbling
Dye think it could be done7' ask
ed him, hesitatingly.
" In a smoke. he replied. and fell to
the temptation with nary another flap.
Shopping Scheme Sidetracked.
81 had all OF the following day off,
and was due to go downtown In the
morning with my wife 20 start in pick
Ing out kitchen chai. ., eggbeaters. hash
choppers. and other housekeeping bijou-
terie. She didn't know that 1 had all CT
that $500 roll. but l had given her TO
understand in a general sort of way. a
couple Of days before. that had snag-
ged out enough to make a beginning
toward the housekeeping scheme, and
she was tickled to death over the pros
pect OF beginning to buy the housekeep-
ing truck so soon.
II had to side-step the buying expedi-
ton that morning. though. for / wanted
10 keep the 5000 intact SOS to run II into
a thousand according TO Steve's pleas
ant. not to say tittivating. way OF put
ting II. She looked me over pretty sus-
piciouslf when. at noon. I edged out
with the remark that I was going after
a cigar
when I had made the gate I called
back to her that she could expect me
when next she saw me. and then I ran
for it. / met L'Hommedieu at the sta
ton, and we went over 20 st. Asaph to-
gether.
"All but two of the horses were
scratched out Of the first race, and the
dope made one of the two SO much bet
ter than the other that the bookies
-chslked that one up at / TO is. and the
other one at II TO l.
q" Put fifty on the long one, Steve