The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-06-12

Come" said my friend Baldwin TO me.
a few months ago, let US go TO the
turf"
No." said I. Il take no interest in
Its amusements"
Nor do l." rejoned he; "but visit i
TO acquire knowledge of the human char
aeter it exhibits itself in the various
scenes of life. and with the hope of turn
ing the knowledge thus acquired to some
good account. I am the more DESTROYS
that you should accompany me- contin-
ued he, because, as one pair of eyes
and ears cannot catch all that passes
within scene so spacious. / shall lose
many instructing. interesting, or amusing
incidents without the assistance of
friend. and therefore l wish to enlist
your services"
We'll" said I. with this view I will
accompany you"
We went and the following is the re-
suit of our joint observations:
We went early when as vet no one had
reached the ground but those who &C.
cupied the booths for the purpose of
| traffic Tt was not long. however, be-
fore the crowds of persons. of all ages,
sexes, conditions, and compilations, were
seen moving towards the booths; some
on foot, some on horseback, some in
gigs. some in carriages, some in carts,
and some in wagons. The carriages (gen-
| orally filled with well-dressed LADIES' ar
ranged themselves about 80 or 90 PAGES
from the starting point. towards the CEN
ter of the turf. Around those circled
many young gentleman. each riding his
| prettiest, whipping, squirting and curb
ing his horse into the most engaging
antics. and giving visible token that he
| thought every eye from the carriages
was on him, and every heart overpowered
by his Workmanship. AS many more piled
between the booths and carriages. bear
ing messages. rumors apples, oranges.
rasins, lemonade and punch.
but surely no lady drank the punch.'
Yes. three of them did and If I know
what large swallows mean. they loved 1t
too. But they didn't drink long. The
| ladies' ought to be informed, however,
that a countryman passing them observ-
ed The way them women love punch
is nothing to nobody
The gentlemen generally collected about
the booths, and employed themselves in
| loud talking and drinking Here I saw
Major Close. who two hours before de-
| eared he had not enough to pay poor
woman for making the vest he had on.
| treat a large company to a dollar bowl
! OF punch; and, 10 minutes after, I saw
the same man stake $50 on the race.
saw another gentleman do the same. who,
| four DAYS before. permitted his endorser
| to lift his note in bank for $780, which
note the endorser still held. But, thought
the way these gentlemen treat their
leditors lis nothing to nobody" One
thing remarked upon this occasion.
which should not be passed in silence.
saw many gentlemen drink spirits upon
the turf whom I never saw taste 1t any,
where else; some because It seemed to
be fashionable and some because they
would bet nothing but a glass Of toddy
or bowl of punch. and. having bet 1t,
Trey must help drink it.
had been employed perhaps three
quarters of an hour In making observa-
tons upon the scene which was before
me. when 7 observed group of negroes
| and boys enter one of the gates of the
turf. following, with much seeming in
terest, horse which was led by an aged
black by whose side walked a little negro
| boy about IS years of age dressed In pink
| throughout. I had no doubt but that the
horse was one which was entered for the
| days running; and as I was DESTROYS OF
seeing all the competitors before the race.
| I advanced to meet him apart from the
crowd. AS soon as I approached near
enough to distinguish the features of the
| old negro who led the animal, I discov-
| ell ed that he was a gentleman who, upon
| that dav at least, was to be approached
only with the most profound respect. His
step was martial. his eye looked directly
| forward. and his countenance plainly In
| dicated that he had many deep things
| shut up in his brain. which the world had
long been trying to pry into In vain.
concluded however. that / might venture
to ask him a question. which all who had
| read the mornings Chronicle could have
answered. took the liberty of address,
| ing him. as soon as he came near me.
with.
| "old man. what horse is that?'
| The question seemed to have come like
| a thunderbolt among his contemplations
a
.pon me a look which I perfectly under1
stood to mean.
Pray. sir. where were you born and
brought up?"
Having been thus foiled by the old
man. resolved to try my luck with the
rider; accordingly. I repeated the ques-
| ton to him. He stopped. and was In
the act. as thought of answering. when
| the old man bawled out to him. In an
angry tone:
Come along, you Bill: never keep be-
hind you boss when you fuss (irsD come
on the ground"
Bill obeyed promptly. and took his posi-
| ton by his majesty. who observed to him.
IL an undertoue. as he came alongside;
Never tell de name you boss; It's
bad luck"
! Bll's confusion plainly showed that he
ought to have known a thing so obvious
| from his infancy. I was as much discon-
| certed as Bill. out was SOON ieiicNeu
by pert little blackamoor. who, rather
| to persuade me that he was In all
tho secrets of the turf than in charity to
me, addressed me with,
Master. I'll tell you what boss dat is
well. my boy said I. what horse
is it7'
"He young Butteram. son o. ole But
| teram, dat usen to belong to Mr.. Sw'nsle-
| tree"
"And do you know all the horses that
are going to run today?' said I.
La. yes, SIR" said he; IT know cherry
one OATS gwine to run cherry day
concluded I would take advantage OF
the boys knowledge. and therefore gave
him twelve and half cents to stand by
me and give me the names of the racers
as they passed. for by this time they were
all on the ground and following the di-
rectlon of the first,
This one said my mentor. as the
next approached. named Flory Randle.
she b'long to Mr.. Pet. bit don't know
what boss he daddy. though.
This one" (as the next came up
named Sir william; he come all de way
from virginny and I t'ink dey say
he got by Virginnv too.
"And this" (as the last approached)
s'named 'Cl'pse: by jockey. he looked like
he could clip 1t too. and be swineed
If 7 don't go my sebn-pence on him
anyhow"
Thus learned that the four horses
| which were TO run were Bertrand, Flora
Randolph. sir William and Eclipse. At
this moment voice from the Judges
Stand cried. Prepare your horses'' and
in an instant the grooms were engaged