The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1906-04-13

put the days receipts in the safe In
the business ear: 1t looks good 10
me" Then they all turned in 20 sleep
the happy hours away. that beautiful
Sunday on the way TO Indian Ter
ritory and Oklahoma
Well. sir. You a never make me
believe ina money obtained dishonest
ly. will stay by a person. or do him
any good. and that was demonstrated
In the case OF our show the next day.
We got acquainted with an old show
man who was out OF luck. who used
TO ran a wild west show. but got bust
ed mp. and as he didn't care where he
went. We took him with us on the
train. and all day Sunday he talked
about his show experiences, and finally
he said IL We had any horses with our
show that could run races, we could
make a barrel OF money at Guthrie.
where we were TO make our next stand.
lie said the Indians and half breeds
all had Indian ponies that they thought
could beat any horses that ever wore
shoes. and that they would bet every
cent they had on their ponies. and as
they had just been paid their annui-
ties by the government. they had
money in bales, and We could get II all.
II we had horses that were any good.
and money to back them. His idea
was 10 give out that owing to some ac-
cident we could o give an afternoon
performance. and just get out the
horses. and bet the Indians 10 a stand
still. and win all their money, and
give a free evening show. as a sort OF
o nsOlation TO the Indians.
Wen, it looked good to pa. and he
talked 10 the other managers. and the
result was when we got TO Guthrie
we had made up our minds that as
money was what we were after. the
easiest way was TO get it by racing our
horses.
So when WI got settled in Guth-
RE. and got the tent up. we an
nounced that part Of the show was in
a wreck down the road in Arkansas.
and We should have 10 abandon the
afternoon performance. but in the
meantime there would be a little horse
racing on the side, IL anybody in
Oklahoma had any horses they thought
could run some.
Well, | thought there were Indians
and ponies and squaws enough before
the announcement was made. but in
les5 than two hours more han a thou
sand ponies were being brought in.
and We got our chariot racers. and
our bareback hippodrome horses. and
they were being led around and ad.
mired. and We all laughed at the little
rurts OF Indian ponies. and the In
dams got mad and backed their
ponies.
Pretty soon the races began in the
vacant lot just outside the town. The
old Snowman We had brought up from
Memphis was made master Of cere-
Monies. cause he could talk Choctaw,
and Comanche. and other Indian jar
gon. and things got busy. The In
dams wouldn't run their ponies more
than an eighth OF a mile. or a quar-
ter. and we consented. because the poor
little things didn't look as though
they could run a block. they were so
lI4us anu aAffNN4 Ia was dA4dlu tMt
humane society would have us ar
rested for cruelty TO animals. All our
fellows were provided with money,
and they flashed rolls of bills in the
faces OF the indians. and finally Mr..
Indian would reach down under his
clothes and pull out a roll. and wet
his thumb and peel off big bills. and
] go -A H-L-. - - -.
a fortune in the racing game. Then
the racing began. and the horses we're
sent off at the drop OF a hat. or the
firing Of a pistol.
| was given some money TO bet with
the little Indians. cause pa said we
wanted 20 get every dollar in the
tribe. for IL We didn't get It the In
dams would spend It for fire water.
The first race was between one OF orr
best runners and a sleepy little spot
ted pony. and when the hat was
dropped the pony made a few jumps
and was of like a rabbit, and our
horse couldn't see him for the dust,
and our horse was distanced. The
next race resulted the same. and all
day long we never won a race. and the
Indians took our money and put il
in their pants and never smiled. The
old Snowman we had befriended.
seemed crushed.
When our money was nearly all
gone to the coSfounded Indians, and
the sun was going down. he went mp
10 pa and said Uncle. what does
this all mean. I thought your horses
could rum
Pa said: "Damino. I never was no
horse racer, nohow.'
When our money was all gone. and
our horses were nearly dead from IA,
tigue. the managers all got together
in the big tent for a consultation on
finances. and il was the saddest sight
I ever saw. Pa tried TO be cheerful.
and he said. We'll. we will give the
evening performance, and when the
Indians are all in the tent. we can
turn out the lights and turn the boys