The Cairo bulletin., 1905-09-09
BLINKS WAS LUCKY.


He said it was pure iuck--that he just
couldn't help winning; but his friends
scnffed at the idea. and they pictured /
him sitting up nights With the form
sheets studying the horses and their
chances. just 10 prove il was his luck, |
he was fond of telling the story OF how /
the horse he had BET on ran second and |
be was tearing up bis ticket when the
judges disqualified the winning horse
and left his horse in the front 80 far
as the money was concerned. His
friends even scoffed at this story. de-
claring that he had probably figured out
before the race that the other jockey
would commit foul. But Blinks finally
won his friends over TO his way OF ex-
planning things.
From some thoroughly reliable source
he learned one day that Charawind was
the sure winner of the third race. He
received this information in whisper
out of the corner of the informer's
mouth. No one else heard it. Blinks
hesitated for long time before he dared
tell it to anyone else, but he finally
CHANGED it on very close friend and
was shocked to learn that the friend
had the same Information from the
same source Just at time to start for
the race course Blinks received mes
sage that compelled him to stay in the
Office all afternoon. 1t nearly broke his
heart to see this good thing go to
| waste.
81 tell you what you do. Jones" he
explained to his friend, you take this
500 out for me and bet ii on Charawind
don't care what the odds are. Put up
the twenty to win five If you have 10.
! wish | could go out. believe I'd
plunge for a hundred on that horse"
when Jones reached the betting ring
before the third race. he scanned the
boards eagerly and found that Chara-
wind was even money. In great haste
he placed Blinks' $40 in the hands of a
bookmaker. and finally screwed his
courage up to the point of betting Ave
dollars for himself He placed the tick
cts in his pocket and sauntered up TO n
seat in the grand stand AS the horses
were going to the post, and he was ex-
tremely pleased with the sleek, active
appearance of Charawind, he thought
Of his tickets and the sure money, and
took the pasteboards out to have look
at them. For the first time he noticed
I That his ticket read TWENTY-FIVE 20 Ave
and Blinks' read one hundred to twenty.
The cold sw eat nearly froze him. With
wild dash he made for the betting
ring.
Say he shouted 70 the hoolxnaker,
'shere must bio some mistake here.
Either you've given me the wrong horse,
or there is an error In the odds
The bookmalker looked at the tickets
.'Thems all right" he assured him
. Cardigan, FIVE to one"
, Cardigan gasped Jones. "That's
the wrong horse, WANTED Charawind.
: "You said Cardigan" s
: II didn't say anything Of the sort"
| well, it's too late now the book
> maker answered, They're off, am
he lost all thought of Jones as he eager
/ " watched the start Of the race through
) his field glasses, #ss .as f.
II ~
! made a serious hlunder and he knew tn
only way 10 eyer sget Out Of the mes
. was 10 make clean breast Of il {
/ Binks. When be finally got his frient
on the telephone he faltered
0 Say, Blinks.," bic hogan,
v Yes" came from the other end
j u made that bet Oh Charawind al
/ right"
: Eyes"
but the blltherirg bookmaker CAV
me q ticket on the wrong horse. Thi
! ticket is for Cardigan"
! "Cardle nj Jones blirted You BIZ
fool. Cardigan can't run for sour al
!, pies. Come home you big Ounce. Tn
: next time send you with
The connection was suddenly inter
!, rupted.
When Jones' got hack into the be-
I ting ring sad and sorrowful, he wa
!, given the shock Of his life when bi
: voice rose over the tumult and clearl
announced: "All rieht-Cardigan frs
: Charawind second
! Jones heard no more In fright,
a daze he wandered about, plnohed hin
self, asked every neighbor what TIT
man had just said; and the next raj
: was about to be run before he was cali
Y enough to present himself to the cashlt
!, and timidly push his tickets over II
y counter. It was all too true. The wa
i Of money that bnlged IN his hand WI
:, crisp and easily distinguishable. Jon'
. took the next car for town He WI
4. afraid after all that the bookmakl
y might come and take the money aw;
p from him.
y He couldn't wait to speak when !
y rushed breathless into Blinks on,
n about five o'clock and laid $l2O on h
- desk. Blinks didn't appear bit su
Il prised
N Cardigan won't Jones was final
y able to say.
y That's good" Blinks replied
u well, aren't you s'Irprised?" Jon