The Ogden standard. [volume] (Ogden City, Utah) 1902-1910, 1910-06-11
o. LAST PLUNGE
wv By c/okza Kezzbze

truck Tor life by the Jockey Club. And I'm
giving it TO You straight: why this IS the candy tbe
rea thnG none OF your paper bag kind but the bcst
done up III gold string and It's been lodging the sun.
shine for weeks oh. know what I'm talking about
m not telling who gave It to me but I've cot u o,,
rient and It's bound to go through There's nothing
10 IT, she be under blankets all the way and stroll in
What's her price now1 Fifteen to one! It's steal.
'ne inc inoney-you ought to to the vacation house
Tor taking It, But be pbcr it's In your blood only
don't come around and open your guns on me when
it's all over and the wise ones arc cushing
knew fellow once who had nerve for you
there wasn't an ounce Of shy boy to bim-he'd have
given Pittsburg Phil for his coin if he'd have
stuck to the game. but he ran up against love affair
got stuck on nice girl, and Love and the Girl made
the sort Of favoritc that makes show Of the field
from start to finish. He's out West somewhere now
believe, making money by the bauel-you couldn't
stop him
Following the horses? Nav, He don't have 10:
one plunge cured him. I'll tell you about it oh.
there's plenty of time; they nint Weighing in yet
1t all come about like thls.-I was riding myself
when first met him. riding for Taylor the mcanest
old sneak that owned a Gy and things woro
coming my way hot and heavy. Twas just after my
bringing Sorrc Top in in the Brooklyn and my head
was so big L couldn't see my feet These jocks to-
day arc all right. but old boys could teach EN-
trick or two If we had mind Every one was wise
In those days; that is. every thought they was
Wise, md II was twice easy to string 'em once
you got 'cm started. Taylor used 10 pull something
of every month and they never tumbled to him until
he was bloated bondboldcr and then he fold 'cm
to go to the devil could tell you some pretty tales
about his stable that would make you opcn your
eyes, but that ain't the text to-day
We'll as 1 was saying. IT Just after the Brook.
lyn that met him. Burns was his name Fletcher
Burns. Nice name. aln't it? And be was lust as
clean cut as his name; quiet tall slender chap
with pair Of blue eyes that made you look twice
before you were they wasn't steel / was roll.
ing around in champagne corlss at tho time trying TO
imagine that my father banker instead Of n
bum trainer Some one introduced him to me at the
hotel one night when up to my neck In nzz and
sparrlng for wind at that I had never seen him
around the track in fact, don't believe he knew the
difference between the grand stand and the paddock
before he bumped into me Well anyway my tongue
was pretty loose, and struck up a conversation
right away on the ponies and before Ind a chance
to pull myself up he had got my opinions half the
toPnotchers running He did 1t all quiet like; said
he a writer and wanted to do race track story
didn't think he pumping me till he had me
dry-then shut up. but II wns too late MY head
was pretty big. anyway and those champagne corks
hadn't made 1t any smaller. SO the result OF the
whole thing was gave him a hot tip for tue next
day that had been under for a month
Case of Cold Feet.
Now, I'm not much Of a gasscr even when I am
tanked with booze but this fellow had me going
was swervins all over the track and If the thing had
got out should have found myself on the ground
for life far the Eastern clubs went 1t was one
of Tayors fancy stunts and blew the whole thing.
The minute got 1t off my chest got cold feet and
began TO rubber for stove, but he looked as uncon-
cerned could be and changed the subject That
settled It, though; could the whole thing going
to smash, and once the tip got abroad the bookics
would have by the bit and the sleeper would wakc
up with bang Taylor would know who it came
from, for TO ride and not another living soul
In the deal
never lost n jag quicker than I ducked that one.
you can bet your life sober by the time l got
home. Wen. 10 make long story short Burns never
opened his lip He just hustled out to the track the
next day all By his lonesome and got down with three
months salary He aud Taylor were the only ones
that cashed guess for old Taylor wouldn't have let
his starving mother In the best thing ever and I'm
blamed sure was dumb from that out
So you took fancy to him right away for
there Isn't In thousand who's got sense
enough to keep In the dark with a swell chance when
he's onto sure thing and people buying Inloma-
ton. From that time on chums
Yes 1T funny combination for he was a
studious sort and l never opened book in my life
unless had TO. and then generally shut 1t up with
out getting notion OF what inside of It. But we
stuck together like glue and double as though we
had been matched for 1t.
He wrote his book and / a real hero in It.
g,g