The Detroit times., 1908-06-16
BY JOHN BARR.

by JOHN BARR.
Leslie Brown had become Audited
To horse racing Just as ny acquires
the sticky paper habit Ii got its grip
gently on him at first. and he thought
he could easily throw on it's entangle'
ments, but with every move he be-
came more hopeiessly emsshed unfit,
at the end OF the first two weeks OF
the meeting, he was smeared from
head 10 foot and. 10 all appearances.
utterly lost
Al first he saw fortune before him.
but as the game proceeded IL degener-
ated into a wild, hopeless scramble TO
get back what he had lost by backing
sure things. The business was unnat'
ural 10 him and he soon could take
no comfort in the betting ring or out
Of It, Racing terms never fell glibly
from his lips. He could never say
with ease and swagger. she'll win a
block" There amt nothing TO IT,"
It's a pipe" and such expressions.
He formed no acquaintances with
jockeys or owners: the people OF the
paddock were distasteful To him, and
he had no means of getting on the in
side. Nevertheless, in two short
weeks he had become SO infatuated
with the game that II was impossible
for him 10 tear himself away. Day
by day he saw his vacation slip away,
little by little, for he now could make
only small bets. the S2U0 saved FOR a
vacation trip went also. He had long
since ceased 10 enjoy the excitement
OF seeing horses run. and recently
there had been something monotonous
in the finishes; he appeared 10 have
seer them all before and wondered
much at his failure TO pick the win
ner. everything appeared so plain and
natural to him. after the horses had
passed under the wire He had not
patience enough 10 dope. and too little
money TO follow system. Thus he
had none of the qualities that go to
make successful race-goer. Most OF
the day was spent in regretting that
he had ever seen race track. and as
soon as his head touched the pillow at
night. the horses would begin an end
less gallop through his weary brain.
On. on they would rush. sometimes
going backwards. now and then leap.
ing a hurdle, now and then taking the
water Jump. but never in the whole
dreary night passing under the wire.
The stretch seemed to slide under
their feet like a great treadmill and.
although the jockeys spurred and
whipped and the horses struggled
hard. he always awoke with an UNI
finished race on his hands.
He was sitting in the grandstand on
the last day OF the meet. despair in
his heart. and his last silver dollar In
his pocket. when two men came ana
took seats on one side of him. They
were successful gamblers, one talka'
tive and the other quiet: one with an
expressive. quickly changing counte.
nance. and the other with apparently
no muscles in his face. Brown had
watched the two. more or less, for
week. The active one would hustle
among the jockeys. talk familiariy
with horse owners. joke with the book
makers and then return TO the I'M
movable one The two would then
figure. talk little and the active one
would go and make a bet, which was
usually successful.
AS they sat beside him in the grand
stand Brown determined 10 take the
first opportunity of speaking to them,
In the hope OF cleaning some inforua-
ton that would help him retrieve MS
shattered fortune, for even with only
one dollar, and with the days racing
half over a few successful bets will
make fine total OF winnings.
The horses were coming out for a
mile race. and their actions seemed
strangely familiar TO Brown He felt
certain that the same bunch had lined
ND for a mile race a few days before
and they were acting now very much
as they had done then The laxative
man said TO his friend:
Il don't believe Sizzler stands a
ghost OF a chance He won't be one,
two six.
The other fellow said:
we can't break our system
Brown thought this a good oppor-
tunity 10 scrape the acquaintance Oh
the men. so he ventured:
He won his last race handsomely
The talkative man turned to him
sharply, and asked:
Where"
Right here
You're off your nut. my friend. He
hasn't started on this track.
Il beg your pardon. but can show
you where he won mile race in the
same company within few days.
Brown turned 10 the back of his
program where a list OF the meetings