The San Francisco call., 1908-07-26

hammered person writes an indig-
nant article upon the evils Of
L. gambling among the women Of
our country BY gambling he, or she,
means the fast and furious games Of
the ultra fashionable, where the women.
OF the smart set" sit up until the
wee sma' hours over the card table.
losing their 7tempers, their looks, their
friends and their money!
Card playing for money-or prizes
IS gambling, assuredly, bat why have
these mild hammered persons over
look the greatest Of all gambling evils
for women-the racetrack7
Perhaps they will say, "Oh, the
women don't play the races-that is
purely masculine"
Is It? I guess not.
Here IN our glorious city everybody
plays the races. You viii find the
butcher. the baker. the plumber, the
postman. the policeman, the bank
cashier. the clerk, the salesman, the
boss" and their wives and daughters,
and sisters, and mothers, and grand
mothers. and great-aunts and best girls
eI, drop q little change on the ponies"
It is called the sport OF kings. but why
overlook the queens7
Playing the ponies" sounds nice and
ensy, but it is a hard game to beat
and an easy one to play We can all
plsy-providing we have the where
withal-for We need not belong to the
ultra fashionable nor the Select club
OF Select-!lle. Tho stakes run high
or lows cent bets are acceptable in
poolroons-and dope" on the subject
IS sasy to buy. Every daily and even
ing psper IN the country will help you
pick the winners"
Tho woman who gambles on the rae
ing game is plentiful in San Francisco.
We do not always meet her or hear
about her. but she IS at 1t just the
same. Che is careful where she plays
and when she plays. and is not telling
you that she plays. But play she does.
Did you ever notice the second rate
cigar stands during racing. season?
Did you wonder what the attraction
was that brought the women there;
Did you mediate on their strange
manner of approaching the stand; the
Eidelong glance to left and right, tbs
flushed face and tho hurried conversa-
tion with the cigarmsn and the ex-
change OF coin?
II appears mysterious 10 you, nC
doubt. but # was all simple enough.
Susan sinply said. Put this fifty
cents on Peter Sterling to win and this
dollar on Johnny Lyons for place and
give me H.ty cent combination oi
Red Leaf, Janeta, CuernavAca and Ny
Pal ell show. and two dollars on Bye
Bye II 10 show"
The c.garman understood It perfect.
ly. He had studied tho dope sheet
In the morning and knew that Joann,
Lyons was expected to win the handi.
cap and Peter Sterling was out for {
killing In tho fourth race, and BY,
bye II was a long overdue long sho
in the sixth.
To be ssre, Johnny Lyons might win
hut maybe he is slow at, gathering
and gets left at the post. his follower
not even getting a run for their money
Peter Sterling might run all right, 5c
at the last stretch get nosed out o
the place by rank outsider. It i
Al exciting game. but there arc $
many ifs" and butts" and nights
and ought tos" in it that the excite
mcnt gives place to disappointment
when the wrong horse wins, and h
does win very often-awfully oftenl
The woman who plays the races 4
San Francisco is not wholly TO blame
Like the words OF the famous sons
"she Is more TO be pitied than cen
sured." for the advertisements o