The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-11-05
The Terrible Lady Babs

Ihe 9-year-Old daughter OF the earl
Of Fu1lham, preparatory to putting her
intention into execution, holds up her
riding habit with both hands, so as to
exhibit as much as she can Of her new
top-boots to the crowd in the Birdcage.
You re going to do what" asks
Mrs. Fame in tone of establishment;
but Babs pretends not to hear. :,
father ggo weman wS Sets ha nes
you been for the last half hours"
s,I,ye been on the Heat {, p WV Al ~ !. :,
the incest place I know for gallop.
You ought to have seen my pony:
held Alured from the Bushes wivout
extendin' him; and Alured's mare is
quite moderately good, you know; Seen
my boots, Admiral9' she asks incon-
sequently of an elderly man who comes
up at the moment.
The admiral fixes his pince-nez on
his nose and affects deep interest.
BY Jove! they re Splendid" he de-
clares. .... F..
"Ain't they rippin'f I showed them
to Kink, and he said they were quite
vewy down the road. Isn't anybody
goin' to take me into the ring to back
Velveteen for the 'Sarewitchs'" she
asks.
sBut, my dear child" demures Mrs.
Fame; 1.-THE ringl You muslin It think
ssWhy velveteens" asks the earl.
"she IS at thirty-three to onel Hasn't
a ghost Of a chance. Why not support
your daddy's horse, Babs7"
They are standing at the door OF the
loose-box where the earl's 4-year-old
is awaiting the event Of the day.
Babs gives him perfunctory glance,
and shakes her little head sagely.
Not for anything" Is her decision.
He can't stay the course, and be-
sides, wasn!t at all satisfied WY the
wa, h he moved moved at exercise yesterday"
earl, with laugh. "You:'re getting
to know too much. Is that your per.
sonal opinion, or did you read it in the
ri never read the papers," affirms
Babs. "Kink says they only give
winners once year, and then it's only
for 2 walk-oyer;"
"He 9 our head-gardener s son; but
the trainer, and he's a great friend Of
mine"
.'And he says that velveteen will
and Babs mods afirmatively.
~ suppose he hasn't given you his
reasons for that astounding predic-
tion?' suggests the earl.
cit 8 nothing Of the kind,' objects
Babs, without quite knowing what pre-
cert She puts no emphasis on the
phrase, merely uses It as one might
plain statement Of fact.
The admiral Is vastly amused, but
has struggle not to show 1t.
We'll, what else did your-did Mr.,
Kink says' inquiries the admiral, when
he has regained control of his features
= cant quite member his exact
words,' replies Babs, 'but I fink he
said the favorite couldn It win in a cou-
PIE Of fortnights if Velveteen-that IS
Mr.. Milton 8 FLY, you know-only
stood right sides up.''
This she says with a perfectly in
nocent expression on her cherub-like
face, and shows considerable indigna-
ton when it is received with an explo-
sion of laughter.
IN perfectly serious,' she pro-
tests. y know Velveteen's form to
"Babs!" exclaims Mrs. Fame. "How
very Xher{ y nice boy to talk to you like
Oh, but 7 assure you he u.s." de-
clares Babs, "or they wouldn t have
him in the choir at st. Mathew 50
Is that where he gives you tips9D
she asks in a shocked voice.
Notwithstanding the anfem,
when my governess is local terror for
the &c 99rganlst; and I'm wiz her,
Local what9' gasps the earl.
Mrs. Fame. Hwhy SHt durine M tha ens
them9 I should have thought the Of
ssoR,', interrupts her ladvsbin
: "Kink wouldn't dream Of talking;
but ne sings what he wants to tell mo
while the anfem's goin' on. He does
it like this:
'Vel-vet-een Is hot stuff
Vel-vet-een is hot stuff
She won her trial yes-ter-day
And noting elese is in it straight
Back oh back her wiz all your spon-
Back her.'''
The weird words, tho chanted in a
subdued treble, are strangely reminis.
cent Of last Sundays service. Mrs
Fame is filed with dismay. She gives
an apprehensive glance to right and
left. The earl laughs sardonicalIv.
sWhat rot!' exclaims Alured.
Well, I'm blessedl' murmurs the
admiral, as the sounding bell rings. He
reaches down to the little hand. s7Come
along, Babs. I'll take you into Tat
tersall's. You'v earned it!'
He threads a way thru the shout-
Ing crowd until he finds the bookmaker
he is in search of.
Lady Barbara Valence desires ia
DO little business with you, Mr..
May says the admiral.
The bookmaker raises his hat. CAT
your ladyship' IS service,' he bows.
Bah lifts her little dogskin-gloved
hand and exhibits a sovereign. II
want to put this on .Velveteen,N she
informs him.
returns the bookmaker. ~ 1'o''
"Will you give me back the sover.
eign9" asks Babs. ~
Yes, your ladyship-if .velveteen
Now I'll 60 and watch velveteen
VIM observes Babs placidly. sCI
Ten minutes later she is leaning
over the front Of the grand stand
watching the race thru the admiral, q
glasses. The field are coming out of
the Abingdon Mile Bottom. Babs fol
lows them steadily. In dull thunder
they pass the Bushes, while the ring
yell confusedly.
A bay-in Mr.. Milton's claret and
gray-forges past the leader. Babs
puts down her glasses. .--s.,t. -.
Velveteen walks inl' she an.
nounces "A dead snip, WASH it, ad-
I've a jolly good mind to kiss
you'll beams the ADMIRAL - -, = 80