Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-03-22

The weather-beaten. seamy faced Horse
Asaph and Alexander Island days-leaned
listlessly against an awning pole close to
the curb on the lower avenue. near Az
street. conversing about the approaching
Benning meeting.
We'll, I wonder if I'm ever going to get
anything" he said. musingly. i've been
unloading this wonder about this time
every year now ever since Boneyard Bill
was a weanling. but wondering doesn't
cost anything. Ye-eh, the nags'H soon be
here again, and then me to start life all
over. I'm the swell starter, DO. I'd like
to have q white chip for every time that
I've started life all over since got swept
up and put into a tin by the gee-gee
game.
But this year I'm going to beat 'em.
This is my time to get that bunch. too,
annually. What's the difference? There
wouldn't be any use in my bulging in il
felt ahead of time, as IL was going to
get licked all over again-would there?
"Uh-huh, this is going to be my year.
Last year was going to be. too, but my
hat blew off. The year before last was
intended to be a coiny one for me, too,
but when the barrier went up l was
turned the wrong way of the track:
Its always been that way, right down
the line of seasons. l was always meant
The game always looked like pipe to me
just before the Benning meeting.
Just before the Benning meeting in
March always see me in December next
with a pup-seal-lined OvercOat and
pocketful OF panatelas at two piastres the
each, and room with a bawth and real
heat In 1t, not to speak of the eats and
sure-enough laundry change each week.
But every December that curves along
finds me with drowning clutch on
piece Of gaspipe. waiting to mace some
body for the price of bowl Of chicory at
fiye-s0u refectory; and the pup-seal-
lined overcoat like one Of those horizon
clouds the size of a mans hand.
"Ye-eh, and instead Of the panatelas I,
have to sift into an areaway where
they're putting in coal. and take wal
lop at corncob narghlle that smells like
Giesboro point on summers afternoon:
and as for that heated room thing-say,
when I crawl out of the weeds in the
morning at my dump have to dress in
the middle of the floor for fear OF knock
ing against something. IT Id brush
fin against the washstand I'd lose an arm
that's how raw the temperature is
where l live. And I've got no buck
coming, at that. The landlady could do
worse and put a Yale lock on that room
door.
x
THE old trance stuff doesn't set me
back anything, though, and that's why
I'm always there with that pinkie-win
kie brand Of personally conducted clair
voyance just about this time every year,
when the ponies are due to slouoh along
in this direction.
Right now T ought to be in California
making nid-nod bets in the big store
books; but somebody had his fingers
crossed on me at the wind-up here last
season. and that hashed It, Last winter l
ought to've been doing the New Orleans
tracks and the Mardi Gras and things:
but circumstances over which ] had no
contro,-well, you know that Ready Let
ter Writer stuff.
10 can me ever since Ivy City was on the
main circuit: but here I am. coming back
every time with that poppy bunch that
I'm going to be there. this time. sure,
with four-bagger and cleanup. Ye-eh.
It's great pill-cooking game. the pony
one. Why, last night I met a pill chef
who's been trying to snag something at
the game ever since Tenny first had the
pigskin slapped onto his sway back. He
looked like something that had~just been
tossed out of a dipper house near the 18th
street wharf. but he had a new system
of getting 1t to spring on me. and te told
me it was going to be sure-thingsky
cleanup period for him at Benning this
year. Now. that hop cook. I know, has
never had so in his small clothes at any
one time since he first smeared into the
game; but still his head agates CLEAN
with that Hope twinkle that makes all the
Horse Bugs-me included-look alike.
Yep, I'm sure going TO hand it to those
peevish walk-around chalkers at Benning
this spring. They're going to be afraid of
me. They'll be hiding their prices under
their tunics and secreting their styluses
when they see me approach 'em next
week. ye-eh, yes.
x ::
First I'm going to tap the toppy layers,
and then when I've taken it all away from
them I'm going to nudge to the center
and show that I can be a good Teller by
getting EN- jobs under John Cavanaugh in
the stationery department of the ring. /
haven't got any mean feelings against
bookmakers. but / need their kale. After
take Solly Lichtenstein for his wad I'll
slip him enough to make a dime book for
the hack drivers and chauffeurs. When
I'm Through frisking Bill Cowan for his
bundle I'll get him a job as watchman on
the gate or start him going with a gum
and peanut stand under the main shed.
Chalkers have got to live and eat, you
see, after they've been shredded to a fare
ye-well. and 1 haven't, as I say, got any
thing bitter against them except that
they've got something that need.
"Uh-huh. next December you'll be read
ing about my departure for Egypt. where
it'll be stated in the green and pink Sec
tions-I have chartered sumptuousy fit
ted dahabiyeh for a eisurely cruise up to
the second cataract of the Blue Nile; take
them muddy paws off of me, Towze. At
that. l don't know why George Wheelock
should have any copyright on that brand