Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1909-01-29
THE TICKET
IN HIS BOOT.

to go to work selling papers to help
out his mother and the other children.
From that he drifted into the position
of telegraph messenger boy and when
he was fifteen helped at a livery sta
bic. This job suited him better than
the others, for he vas very fond of
horses. Making the acquaintance of
a raiser of blooded stock who took a
fancy to him, he left the livery bust
ness for a stock farm. Jimmie, like
the horses, must have had some very
good blood In him, for he sen every
dollar of his small wages that he didn't
need to keep body and soul together to
his mother, who was getting old and
feeble, and he worried because he
couldn't send her more.
Jimmie begged Mr.. Wheelock, his
employer, to let him ride in a c but
was only permitted to ride in practice
trials of speed. Indeed, the stockman
seemed perfectly willing that Jimmie
should get all the practice he wanted.
Finally he told Jimmie hat he might
make a trial of his ability In q real
race, but on q horse that had no
chance to win. Jimmie was delighted,
and when, rugged out in tight breeches
and a scarlet jacket, he mounted his
horse he felt that he had reached the
summit of his ambition.
A man came up to him, making signs
that he had something private to COM
municate. Jimmie bent down, and the
man whispered to him:
"See here, sonny, want to make some
money!"
Jimmie thought of his old mother
and the kids.
Because If you do I've got 5000 for
you. I've fixed five of six jockeys to
let my horse win. Your horse has no
chance anyway, so there's nothing
wrong in it for you"
IF | can't win, why do you want
to pay me to lose?"
ITO make a dead certainty of 1t. The
way l do 1t is this: My horse Is quoted
at 90 to 1. l give the jockeys each a
ticket that calls for $500 to $40. I'll
slip your ticket in your boot"
Jimmie's education had not been in
the moral line, but he was instructive
Iy honest. And he was as smart as
he was honest. If his employer should
lose any money on the race Jimmie
wanted him to know that he had been
swindled.
The man gave him a slap on the leg,
managing at the same time to shove
n ticket in his boot, and Jimmie rode
off. Soon after that the horses got
into position, and the bell sounded.
Now, Mr.. Wheelock, who owned the
horse Jimmie rode-he had named him
Mark Tapley- had 4r--saye on both
Jimmie and Mark. Nobody knew
anything about the horse except Mr..
Wheelock, who knew all about his
pedigree and believed him to be Of
great promise. He had watched jim
mie ride in the trial races and had
noticed that he was a natural jockey,
but, fearing hat If Jimmie knew he
was riding a horse that might win
and was backed by his master the
boy might get ruff1ed, he did not tell
him what was expected of him. Be-
sides, he didn't care to trust his secret
with any one, not even Jimmie.
The start had no sooner been made
than the favorite began to pull ahead.
Mark Tapley was one of the asst across
the line and after passing one or two
of the last runner kept his position
for the first quarter. When half the
course had been run the favorite was
first, Mark Tapley three lengths be-
hind and the rest scattered.
1.-THE little jewelp' muttered Vince
lock to himself. Hes ready to give
his horse a squirt, and l believe he'll
do It,"
Jimmie gained but slowly. BY the
time three quarters had been gone over
he had gained only a length. But the
fayorite had from the first been doing
his best, and Mark Tapley was getting
nerved to his work. When but an
eighth remained Jimmie began to push
him. In a few seconds it was neck
and neck, and at the goal he passed
the wire half a length ahead.
There was the usual excitement
WneH IL was discovered InaI Il morse
against which 20 to 1 had been bet
had won the race, and every one who
had a dollar on him had pocketed $40.
Though the winners owner had risked
but $1,000, he had won $4,000. He
pulled Jimmie off the horse, giving
him a hug as he did so, and told him
that he was a little brick.
The same evening he sent for his
jockey to come to his house and when
Jimmie appeared handed him a check
for $500, saying at the same time, Put
that in a savings bank" Jimmie's
eyes opened wide. Then he thought of
the ticket in his boot. Pulling 1t out,
he handed it to Mr.. Wheelock, telling
him how he had received it. The stock
a looked from the ticket to jim
mics face in wonder, not speaking for
some time; then he said:
"Where did you learn honestly"
Dunno" Jimmie replied. "Reckon
1t was born in me-"
VI. A.a1,.- - =. H. aI-.T. l.