The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-11-25
TIP FROM THE
L
"Cdpepper, Culpcpper," 1t licked,
and Culpepper Won
the Race.

Bill Worthy was a fine sender on a tele-
graph wire. said the old poolroom operator,
breaking that silenc which is 40 peculiarly
conspicuous in all telegraphers on matters
pertaining to their business. His Morse
was fast and snappy. and once you heard it
you would readily recognize it when you
heard it a second time.
Bill surely was well doped on the nags,
too. He probably could tell you the name
of every horse that had won "A race or ever
was expected to on the circuits in this
country. Yes, sir, he was a regular breath
ing chart book.
Bill and / we're more or less associated
with each other in the poolroom game,
and we came to be very close friends.
Many's the dollar I've turned on tips passed
me by the old boy.
But we all must die some time, and one
chilly day last March Bill took a heavy
cold, from which he never rallied. In two
I weeks We laid him away in the little Gene
terry Of his home own in Canada.
His death was a hard shock to me. I
! was very much attached to him, but I missed
him financially as well as personally. For
with all his sporting talent Bill was a thrifty
fellow and Always had a five spot or two
that he was willing to lend to a friend. And
he always had a live one on the fire to tip
you to put the money on for the best re-
turns.
After Bills death it went from bad to
worse with me. All the good things 1 put
my roll against never came within wireless
communication OF the money.
Il was down to my last five spot and no
relief in sight one night. After tossing
on the pillow grieving over my bad luck
without Bill and wondering how it would all
end l dropped into a troubled sleep.
Il must a v been asleep for a couple of
hours when / was awakened by a rafting
on the steampipe leading to the radiator
by which my room was heated. II wasn't
making such a loud noise, but it had a Pc
culiar rattle to it.
AS l became more fully awake I rea-
Lied that the pipe was giving off sounds
like q telegraph instrument and instantly
Worthy.
thing to me: 'Culpepper, Culpepper,' the
dots and dashes came over the pipe. Then
a long cluster Of dots resembling the figure
Little Bright Eyes was on the Job. but
getting groggy trying to pass me a tip from
old Bill. He was tipping me off TO play
Culpepper in the sixth race.
After rafting these characters re-
peatedly the sounds got in~decipherable
and finally resolved themselves into the
spasmodio poundings heard in steampipes
caused by the condensation of the steam
in them.
well, say, l was worked into a frenzy
OF excitement and could hardly wait for
morning. At the first call of the newsboys
on the streets l was dressed and soon scan
ming the entries at the different tracks.
Yes, sure enough, there was C~ulpepper
entered for the sixth race at Latonia.
the skate was due for bong odds and
/ might as we'll stake the five l had remain
ing after bowling myself TO a frugal break
fast. Did Culpepper VIM Why, he came
gambolling home on the bit and / Dashed
In on my five spot at the remunerative
odds Of so to / and things nave been break
ing smoother for me since then.
whats that you say? Just a mere
c~oincidence7 The hammering OF the al
oohol In my brain and deep thought about
Bill before / slept twisted the usual pound
ings OF a steampipe into a message from
the dead?
STUFF and nonsense. l guess I had
travelled with Bill Worthy long enough
TO know his Morse when / hear it,