New Britain herald., 1924-02-01
n RosTAs TRIMBLE's proturber-
 ant lower lip dropped dejected-


 ant lower lip dropped dejected-
 A ly, his eyes shifted in a scowl
 until the pupils were dots in the cor
 ners of expanses of white, his russet
 shoes, rapier- pointed and uncomfort-
 ably overcrowded with feet, dragged
 laggingly along the marble floor of
 the St. Charles Hotel Turkish baths,
 He went about his task of distrihut-
 ing towels with the air of one who
 has suffered great wrong.
 In the private rooms and on cots ranged in the dormitory white men snored, surgled. choked, strangled. The sounds of sixty fat men snoring in sixty keys filled the rooms. Even the snore of the man in room six, which was combination of shifting gears, a cut-out muffier, and slip ping clutch, passed unhesrd by Pro" Even the cheery whistle of his fellow rubber was unnoticed. The world was place of darkness, and Pros mood was two shades darker than his skin. the color sLHtHle ol w nun Nas 1itat pL liiV oeS of spades.
 IL was s dull night. The St, Charles Hotel Turkish baths were but half filled with patrons, although oyercrowded with snores. The light patronage and the dejected mood of Prosias were due to the same cause: The winter meeting at the Fair Grounds race-tfack in New Orleans had ended two days before, the army of men and horses that had en- camped in the Crescent City during the winter, and the swarm of plump patrons which nightly had crowded the St. Charles, had moved north ward to Baltimore, and Prosias Trimble, top sergeant in that army, with the rank of tout, was left be- hind, 10 eke out a livelihood by working as rubber in the bath house.
 Until the morning of Get Away Day" Miss Luck had smiled, and on that morning she beamed, Prosias and his bank roll had prospered, wsxed fat. and fiourished The cus- tnnary rumors had circulated on that morning-the old, old story of the Get Away Killing" and the feed mans bill--and straight from the oats-box the rumor had come to Pro, alighted upon him, and stung him. It was a hot tip--so hot that 1t sinsed and burned. The tip was 10 the effect that Centerdrink had been nominated 10 win--that he was to be shooed in at long odds, and that all the grievances of the bettors against the bookmakers were to be evened up in one great killing.
 Pro had it from a jockey, who had it right out of the conference at which Centerdrink had been chosen to win. Fro had hurled his bank roll--ths fortune accumulated dur ing the entire winter--at the book makers. who, instead of breaking in panic, had handed him back smiles and bits of pasteboard with cabalis- tic charcoal characters on them. Pro had stood to win more than twelve thousand dollars--and he had stood dazedly while he watched Gen. terdrlnk finish eighth. When the truth daHned upon his benumbed brain he had reached one hand into the now vacant pocket, seeking car fare. and, finding it not. had sought the bath-house and work--his dream of a summer jaunt around the race courses wrecked.
 Pro completed his task of distrib- uting towels and stood thinking. Daylight was commencing 10 show through the little windows just un- der the ceiling of the bath-house, and daylight brought with it fresh. bitter thoughts. He knew that 8 few hundred miles to the northward the sun was rising on stretch of level land. circular ribbon Of losm laid upon a field of green. Birds were singing in the trees. meadow larks were rising from the infield. | Rows of fires were springing up along the front of the circular line l Of low, whitewashed stables. slen- der, graceful horses, blsnketed to 1 the knees, were being led around and | around in little circles. the odor of i frying bacon was in the air. the l rhythmic drumming of the feet Of a | speedy colt was sounding from the l track. Far across the velvet infield i near where the spidery pillars of the l stand stood black against the light l sning sky. men with watches in their hands were on the rail. timing in l fractions of seconds the movements | Of the flying colt. He pictured one ] vacant spot on the pickets of the l rsnce--a spot which. but for inc : fcklsress Of Miss Luck and the hot | tip on Csntsrdrink, he would have . been occupying.
 Slowly a light broke over his face as sun striving 10 shine through thunder clouds. !
 Reckon as how maybe Ah'li be liar yit." he nauttered to himself.
 Mist Jim Robin he say 10 me yis- isddy mahnin': Pro. yuh wuthiess b iggah, gimme good rub dis mahnin' sn' when An gifts Co Baltimo' Ah1i sen yoh a good thing Yssssh. dat zackiy what he done say. an An lone rub him till he yell 'nuff. Mist Jim Robin he done keep his promise. IfeT sen me dat good thing den thW show desc Moo Leans shines a .lassv niggah. Ann ride in Mistah pullman's ezhr tstid Q aiistah Bur .uR's cahr-nothuard Yassah."
 VisibIv affected Ay a process of triumph of mind over condition Pro i ,chiswed more cheerful counte lsrcs. The happy smile which ras lis trademark. and the fnerstiating -rin which made him welcome InIong rars-track followers returned ,y degrees. and bv tils time fho ,narers aroused themsslves and Ihu5dered at the cold plunge before 'orning to the rubbing tables his 'eady laugh and the seductive man Ter in which he u-ieided fine solicit- !, .s. -fsssas5.a rFssr4. 55.gHH. g1-.s.s.rs