The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-02-21

S. F YOU want to see lot of peo-
pie who are crazy on the horses"
said the man from the West, you
might stop off at Butte some time.
II dropped into Butte one August
morning a couple Of years ago last
summer. The man had to see was
the superintendent and part owner Of
a big mining machinery plant.
1T was chuck full of a business
scheme, and dug him up Immediately
after breakfast. Found him seated at
his desk, tilted back in his chair, the
back of his head resting in his clasped
hands, and studying the ceiling.
He greeted me cordially, but no
ticed that he seemed preoccupied.
Say he remarked. before I had
chance to edge In a word about my hot
business scheme, they're going to race
old Ogden twice today at Gravesend,
back your way. And he'll about whisky
both of 'em.'
HE was speaking of old Ogden, Mar
Gus Daily's Futurity winner, that was
just then making his temperance on
the New York tracks, after having
been in stud retirement In Montana
for four or five years.
"'Oh,' said I, just to fall in with his
mood, they won't take a chance on
running so good a horse as old Ogden
used to be twice in one day.
"'Well, they are, just the same my
superintendent friend replied, and it's
old Ogden on the bitkovitch both times
and you mark what tell you. He's in
the first and the last races on the
Gravesend card. You want to loosen
up and get down. It's going to happen.
I'm in
HE talked along that strain for a
while longer, and then I hurled my
business proposition at him. He re-
garded me in vague sort Of way while
I put 1t to him.
ooh, you'll be in town for a few
days. he said, dryly, after I'd finished,
and you'll have plenty Of time to hand
me that again. Swagger old plug for
his years, ogden, heyT
"Well, / saw that 1T was going to
be horse, and nothing but horse, that
day; and so, for the sake Of argument,
I told him that didn't consider Og-
den such much in his old age.
HE had been a good horse, said,
but his day of usefulness was gone.
His progeny were then running on the
New York tracks, and / ventured the
opinion that most of them could run
over their sire, as I considered that
Ogden then was, after his long retire
ment, something easy.
Il let myself in bad there, sure
enough. He told me that I'd evidently
not been keeping up to date on turf
affairs, for 1t seems that only few
days before old Ogden had met some Of
his own sons in a Gravesend race and
had walloped them good and plenty.
1--WE smoked about four cigars while
we talked horse, and then my superin-
tendent friend took me to his house to
dinner-they have that meal at IL: 80 in
Butte.
at was just IL when we started for
his home. On the way we dropped
into a much gilded cafe for an appe-
tizer. In a huge room alongside the
cafe a pool room, crowded to suffo-
cation, was in full blast.
"The patrons of the room were all
members Of the night shift, and the
workers out there scheme and fight to
get on the night shifts so they can
have the daylight hours to play the
ponies.
1.-THE track betting on the first race
at Gravesend had just been chalked
up on the board-they're a couple Of
hours behind New York time in Butte.
Ogden was the even-money favorite in
the first race.
Joined me.
(" Better get down yourself he told
me, earnestly. 7 It's just a breeze for
the old chap. And they're going to run
him In the race at the tail Of the card,
too. He cools out quickly, and he'll
eat 'ern up In the last race as easily as
he'll corral the first
but I was skeptical, and stayed off.
We went to the house and his hand
some wife met US In the hall.
Through the Meeaphone
did you get even money!" his wife
inquired, as soon as she had greeted
us. I did-put down fifty
He showed her his 5000 to 5000 tick
ct, and she clapped her hands joy
ously.
why, Ogden's in already she said,
with enthusiasm.
There was telephone in the dining
room. Before we sat down my friend
rang up central.
"'Connect us with the calling off
Joint he said to central. Then, after
a pause, Am 1 all hitched7 All right.
Guess they'll be off for the first in a
minute
Then he tackled nlegaphone appar-
atus to the telephone, the Swedish
maid servant brought in the food, and
we sat down to eat.
1--WE had barely got through with the
soup before something happened that
brought me out Of my chair with a rat
tie. A tremendous voice filed the
room.
They're off at Gravesendl' bawled
the voice. with deep basso profundo
vehemence. Ogden in the Ieadsky and
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