The Butler weekly times. (Butler, Mo.) 1881-1918, 1904-11-24
NUYEL ILLUSTRATES.
NEW FORM OF SUMNER ENTER
TAINMENT IN CATsKILLS.
Women with Scissors Are the Jockeys
and There Is Lots of Cutting
Up During the Pro-
ceedings.


In the Catskills during the summer
season appeared q new game called
horseracing. The jockeys we're women,
reports New York paper.
First a jockey club is formed by the
men, who proceed to select stewards
and other officers No Handicapped Is
needed, because no handicap is given to
the racers. A starter is necessary, as
well as judges, timekeeper and scorers.
Having elected officers the jockey
club receives applications for the privi-
lege of making books. Each bookmaker
pays % cents for the privilege. The
Jockey club then selects the names of
enough favorite race horses to make
six starters in six races and is then
ready for the applications of the
jockeys. Each jockey draws from q
hat the name OF the horse she is to
| ride.
Two days or less before the races each
bookmaker posts his odds on the horses
and future betting is done. The jockey
club provides each bookmaker with the
money he is likely to need and prepares
lot which is placed In the hands Of
the clerk to sell to the sports who wish
to make wagers on their favorites.
The money for the betting is made
of paper and is sold to the bettors at
% cents per 800. The jockey club also
buys six pairs of scissors for about ten
cents pair
On the day of the race six pieces of
muslin about one and one-half inches
wide and 20 feet long are fastened about
three feet apart to frames at each end
and drawn taut. Three feet from one
end bit of red twine is drawn across
the muslin strips. This is the post from
which the start is made.
The bookmakers, perched on high
stools, boxes or any other thing that
will elevate them, display their states
with their prices written thereon.
Plenty of time Is given to the bettors
to purchase coin of the realm and to
place II on their favorltes. With the
starter at one end of the lines Of tape
and the timers and judges in proper po-
sition, all being ready, the jockeys take
their places.
Back of the starting line each Jockey
cuts with her scissors into the middle
of the particular line of tape at which
she has been placed by lot and waits
the word to start. Each Jockey is to cut
through the middle of the tape with her
scissors from the start to the finish
without running off. If her scissors
leave the tape she is disqualified and so
cannot win.
There are few simple games which
give so much excitement either in the
preliminaries or in the actual work of
the game. Men. to support their daugh
tiers, sisters. wives or sweethearts. will
buy money freely and bet fabulous sums
of paper Each bettor is allowed to root
for his choice.
The more excitement there is the bet
ter, for the jockeys are sure to become
excited and make all manner Of breaks
in their efforts to reach the finish first.
One jockey got so ratified that she turned
right around and cut for the start in
stead of for the finish after she was
more than half way over the course
and was leading by several feet.
With the dues collected from the
members of the jockey club and the
money taken by the bookmakers in the
future betting, II necessary, prizes are
purchased for presentation to the first
three jockeys to finish in each race
From what remains after the races are
over the members of the club are reim-
bursed, thus making their expenditures
the same as those of the other men
just what they have paid for money to
bet on their choices in the race.
The game ID capable of variations, Of
course. and sometimes it is played with
only 80 entries, the last race being be-
tween the. winners Of the other FIVE.
This Is cheaper. since 1t necessitates
the purchase Of only three prizes, the
losers In the heats getting nothing but
the fun out Of the game.
The game may be for charity, to raise
money for ride to some interesting
point, or for any other object. BY one
game recently lad of Is who needed
the services Of an expert oculist was
sent to New York for treatment which
he would have been unable to obtain
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