Evening star., 1925-04-26

ding stations under the trees. There
was Colorful activity everywhere in
the paddock excepting in the vicinity
of the Colonel and the Senator, who
were conversing sorrowfully in regard
to a very deplorable situation.
Titles mean nothing in the DEM
ocratic world of racing. There
were those who would tell you that
the Colonel never saw military service
of any sort. not even in the State mill
tia, and that the nearest that the Sen
ator had come to engaging actively In
statecraft was when he once threat
ened to become a candidate for the
State Senate. These same inconsid-
crate persons might refer to them as
lust a couple of touts." The turf
does not care who follows it, and the
followers do not care how they follow
as long as they are allowed to fol
low it.
and goatee and affected a Southern
accent. though scandal had it that he
had been no farther South than the
authors of the nanny songs" Any
one familiar with cinema types would
know that he was a kentuckfan or a
Nirginian at glance. You cannot
mistake types. He was spare and
erect even in his detection. Military
training, even when it is imaginary,
always keeps a man well set up.
The Senator wore a statesman's
slouch hat even in Summer. He was
inclined to be f1abby, but once had
looked like William Jennings Bryan
at the Cross of Gold period. 1t is just
as hard to mistake the statesman
type as 1t is to mistake the Southern
type. That is why the Colonel and the
Senator nearly always could find
clients, even in a profession that al
ways has been crowded.
The Colonel and the Senator kept to
the paddock because of the pressure
of circumstances. On the New York
tracks you may not bet with cash.
You must be the friend or acquaint-
ance of the bookmaker to such an eX-
tent that he will extend credit and ac-
cept your memorandum slip, not ac-
companied by cash or check. The next
day you collect from him before the
racing or, if you have been unfortu-
nate enough to lose, you settle. And,
by the way, it is not good form to call
them bookmakers. There are no
bookieS on the New York tracks. They
are oralists or brokers.
The Colonel and the Senator felt a
certain deliCacy about appearing on
the lawn or in the clubhouse inclOsure
because they owed every orallSt at the
track. 1t would be awkward to be
dunned or even to have the appear
6Ilc6 Ol DGlllS uuiiItu- IISy hOS
WEIGHED. They intended to pay. Every
body at the race track intends to pay.
There was only one reason why the
Colonel and the Senator had not paid
long ago. They did not have the funds.
Information was becoming harder and
harder to retail, and the returns were
uncertain.
At the moment they were discussing
the results of an unfortunate alliance
fbeN- had formed rllIr the daU
before. At the suggestion of the Judge.
who frankly was a tout, and who did
not shrink at that indelicate appella-
ton, they had combined with him on a
three-horse race, the steeplechase. The
Colonel had recommended Sunbeam,
the favorite. The Senator had told a
certain party he had met through
making the first advance that Black
Bart, the second choice, could notNlose.
The Judge had touted somebody on
Killarney, the long shot, and Killarney
had won.
The custom is for the tout to collect
fee by Cajolery or by threat. The
agreement with the Judge was that
whoever collected was to divide three
ways.
The Judge had reported, THE sucker
wouldn't kick in with nothing. 1
bawled him out good, but he threat
ened to call the Pinks and l had to
let him go. He won two grand, too"
The Colonel and the Senator felt
that the Judge was lying. In fact, they
had heard that the Judge had been
passed money for the tip. But there
was no legal redress, and they dared
rot start an open controversy for fear
of being ruled off. That fear to a fol-
lower of the turf is a greater terror
than bankruptcy or death
Il know that the hound is holding
out on US" said the Senator. That's
what we get for having anything to
do with a low-down tout
Il dislike to feel that our trlst has
been misplaced" said the Colonel
But it cannot be helped. In the sport
ing life one meets all sorts, you
know"
But what are we going to do, col.
onel?' demanded the Senator.
We'll, we are here, Senator" re-
piled the Colonel I'VE can watch the
horses run for the sheer Joy Of the
thing
You don't mean to say that YOU
can just watch horses run without
having even a dime bet?" said the
Senator.
Frequently in the Blue Grass coun-
try | have watched races without
betting" said the Colonel. when I
had my own string | seldom bet unless
somebody insisted
Not me-" said the Senator IF we
can't get credit or cash somewhere
I'm goins to throw away my badge
and quit the turf I'll go back into
politics and work to get this present
rotten economic system changed I've
been campaigning for racing all my
life and it owes me something"
THE charm of the sporting life, my
dear Senat said the Colonel, 'fs
fnp life itSG iS a,
something interesting"
a though in confederation of this
statement, Mr.. Kidney Mulcahey
came up to the pair excitedly Mr..
Kidney Mulcahey was a stock youth
In checks and the conventional yegg
cap.
Colonel" he said, there is new
bookie on the lawn and the softest
sap / ever saw. He asked me to get
him trade. I'm practically his run.
ner. I'll steer you up against him IL
YOU guys will do the right thing. And
don't make any small bets either. He
told me that he wanted only big
betters. Honest, it's almost a shame
to take him. He won't last long,
though"
Kidney" said the Colonel, chiding
him. your language is coarse, but
You seem to be bringing tidings of
great joy
The young mans full name was
Kidney Stew Mulcahey, and he was
so called because of an inordinate
fondness for this delicacy, but around
the tracks he was informally ad-
dressed as Kidney.
If only some of the knockers do
not tip us off, said the Senator pes