Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-07-10
Course a Perfect Oval.

out the grass Is quite long IN the lnnelO,
and cattle and sheep are grazing in
punches here and there. At one end is
group of vineclad buildings. covered with
red tiles, almost entirely hidden by over
hanging boughs. A large stone house,
which used to be occupied by the farmer
who owned this place. is now the home of
the caretaker, who sets table for the
In the stables with their horses don't
know exactly where or how they make
their beds; perhaps they lie on the straw
IN the managers. but it is the practice over
here, and a groom seldom leaves his horse.
There Is very little trickery on the Irish
race courses. Mr.. Croker tells me- because
1t is patronized by men of the highest So
cial standing and integrity. They not
only frown upon all forms of sharp prac-
tice, but there is no penalty too severe for
a man that cheats or jockey or groom
tn violates the regulations. You read
in novels of English and Irish life about
horses being dosed with knockout
drops and various other disreputable
proceedings to make the situation more
dramatic and startling. but it Is asserted
that there hasn't been a scandal of any
consequence upon the Irish turf for the
last ten years AS one enthusiastic horse
man expressed himself, Its run as hon.
estly as the church, and blank sight
more so than the government
Most Go to the Bleachers.
The admission to the ground Is a shil-
ling for all comers but after the spec
tators enter they are classified. according
to the dimensions of their purses. Any
body can get a seat upon the bleachers
for another shilling, and the larger part
of the crowd goes that way, because the
grandstand prices are almost prohibitive
to the working classes in this country,
being $50 for ladies and $3.50 for gentle
men. The grandstand is small and Is not
patronized by many people because the
cheaper seats attract the crowd and the
members pavilion and clubhouse on the
other side are open to all subscribers to
the jockey club. AS the privilege OF
membership can be had for a couple of
guineas nearly every gentleman OF af1airs
who ever attends the races subscribes,
and that gives him admission to all the
meetings and the privileges Of the club
house.
There were many carriages. motor cars.
jaunting cars and saddle horses in the
infield, because the course is within driv-
ing distance from Dublin and those who
can prefer to come down that way.
Under the grandstand is restaurant,
a tearoom and bar, all small and oczy
and well kept and the attendants are
women barmaids, mattresses and cigar
vendors dressed in pretty liveries; and
am told that the accommodations at the
clubhouse are quite attractive as well as
convenient, although they are closed TO
strangers like the ordinary clubs OF the
English and Irish cities. A member may
invite a friend to luncheon or dinner. but
he cannot put him up at club in Eng
land or Ireland as we do In the United
States They are very selfish about such
privileges over here.
Paddock Looks Like a Garden Party
Behind the grandstand. and the club
house is a large shaded Enclosure. Access
sible to the occupants of both, where the
horses are brought before the races and
the Jockeys are weighed. The horses are
brought there after the races. and the
people stand in large circles around them
to see them rubbed down. The paddock
looks more like a garden party than
stable yard, for 1t is filled with ladies and
gentlemen. chatting gaily, promenading.
and sometimes drinking tea or taking
other refreshments on the benches under
the trees between races, or standing at
the stalls discussing the horses and talk
ing to their owners. You have read de-
scriptions of such scenes in society novels,
no doubt, for SO many of them introduce
the races as feature. Here and there
you can see a party with their lunch
spread on q white cloth that covers the
grass. and 1 have no doubt good deal
of flirting is going on, although it is more
interesting to watch the horses and the
crowd.
There are many queer-looking people to
be seen, and the oldest sort Of clothes
from cap to boots. You cannot tell the
rank of a person by looks, however. l
have seen duchesses whose dresses didn't
At them at all. and countesses whose
faces are SO plain that they would stop
g. clock. l worshiped beside the wife of
"belted earl" at st. Patrick's Cathedral
last Sunday, and her hat looked very
much as If some one had sat upon it
just before she started for church. Dukes
often look as If they were wearing hand
me-downs,' and the Smartest-looking man
in an assembly may be of the humblest
rank. And that rule. 1 was told. appli
to the race track, as we'll as to other
gatherings of mankind.
l saw people who looked as If they had
stepped out of the pages of Dickens or
Thackeray, SO old-fashioned were their
garments. their hats and their behavior.
There were tall. gaunt farmers with fiery
red faces: solid-looking burShers wearing
silk hats and fringes Of whiskers under
their chins; jaunty military men. DASH
ing young sports in riding habits, and
hundreds of farmers In tweed and heavy
wooden knickerbockers, nearly every enc
of them smoking a pipe. The stature of
the men is noticeable. There are giants in
Ireland in these days.
Many OF the women were very pretty
and wore bricht-colored gowns and sun
shades that enlivened the scene. And
there were hideous old dowaCers who were
very keen on betting and pushed to the
front when the horses were running.
You can always recognize coachman.