Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-03-03
LEANDER CLICKS

~ PIDER DORGAN ran into the
Whining Kid on the lawn Of the
Fair Grounds track in New Or.
~ leans just after the finish of the
third race. How you goin'?"
he asked.
"It don't matter" boosted the whin-
ing Kid. II got regular home here"
"Yeh?" said Spider. How conner"
IT dunno" said the Whining Kid. II
guess must a been adopted or some
thin. got me room an board in a
house over here on Ganda street, an,
when my weeks up, I amt got the price
OF a program. think me up phony
TO stall the old lady with when she
aQuawks for the money an she crosses
WSe."
"Yeh%
"She don't squawk," the Whining Kid
Explained. THE more eat the better
1aAe likes It. I'm chewin' my way
through the third week now without a
pey-off an I amt even been warned
watch your stepl" Spider advised.
~You'n be standin' in front of justice
o. the peace with q wife hangin' on
your arm before you know It."
"Nothin' like that" the Whining Kid
assured him. This ones married"
At Just about the time of this dialogue
On the track the Whining Kid was up
for discussion In the Dilldock home on
Qanda street.
"If YOU ask me-" said Leander Dill
dock, the husband and father, hes just
no good" 80,
Dilldock inquired sharply.
mo" Leander admitted resignedly.
0AI0t,d1y this house ever asks
me anything--less'n it's Did you track
that mud up onto the front porch?' or
Did you spill them pipe ashes on the
parlor rug?' or somethin' like that. !
dunno what I'm supposed to be around
here. I certainly amt the head O. my
own house"
"An' whose fault is that, may ask?"
Adrs. Dilldock inquired in a thin-ippeo
Voice.
Mine" said Learder firmly. II
might as we'll say that now an save
Otnd. We've argued that point better n
seven times a week for nigh 20 years
an / amt got as good as a draw in a
single round In all that time"
will you please tune out on that old
ROW station?" Margaret Dilldock, the
l9-year-old daughter. begged YEARLY.
. ST get so tired o. hearin' you two night
the same fight over an over. II you'd
only think up some new words! Honest,
after the way I've watched you two
Battle I don't think I'll ever get mar
ried!'
If you're thinkin' of MARVIN that
Aow-headed Cy Magnus that's been
angin' around so much lately you'll
be better off as an old matd!' Mrs. Dull
deck assured her.
''If you ask me-" Leander said, ICY
Aapnls amt a bad sort"
did anybody ask you?" Mrs. Dilldock
mol" Leander shouted. throwing
down his paper. Nobody asked me, an
e anybody did"
wait q minute" Margaret interrupt
ed. zone fight at a time. We haven't
got done squabblin' about Mr.. Tyler yet.
Listen. ma-why don't you 1usk ask him
for the money? He's over two weeks
behind now"
II don't want to make him mad"
Mrs. Dilldock explained. Maybe he
thinks he's to pay by the month"
'.You don't want to make him nad!"
Leander mimicked. Amt that too bad!
You got the right idea, though, ma.
The only way you could make that little
hustler mad would be to ask him for
money. 1 know his breed. I didn't
spend four or five years around race
tracks"
'"rhat'll be about all from you, Lean
der Dilldcck," Mrs. Dilldock said shrilly.
sFour or five years amt all you spent
1round race tracks. You're q fine one
20 tell me"
Leander fed. He had touched on an
unfortunate subject. Racing
TN the days Of his youth, Leander Dill
L dock could pick 'em and bet 'em
with the best. He had financed an ex-
pensive courtship with money won at
the track. Unwilling bookmakers paid
him the price of a long and luxurious
honeymoon. A streak Of luck and high
play bought the lot on Ganda street
and built the house in which the Dill
docks lived.
All this while Leander Dilldock
worked at his job, which was that Of
local salesman for a wholesale grocery
house. while his bride spent one-half Of
her time laboring to weal him from his
sinful ways and the other half in jul
dacious expenditure and investment of
tn money won in the practice Of specu-
1Atve iniquity.
Fer more than a year after his mar
Tiage Leander Skated over the thin ice
of personal bankruptcy, paying over the
major portion Of his winnings to his
wife to cool her conscience. and saving
but little for himself to tide over bad
streak when he hit one.
He hit one, at last, and went dooey.
And, Of course, Just after he went fiooey
che chance of O. lifetime cropped up.
The opportunity was horse-a horse
thAt had been kept under cover. It was
hing started to win in a certain race.
The stable was betting him all over the
country; 1t would be so or so to 1 at
the track. He couldn't possibly lose. A
few hundred bet on this horse would
net comfortable fortune. Leander had
his information direct from the trainer
The trainer was a friend who wouldn't
lie to him. It was all cut and dried, and
Leanoer did not have so much as
81 bill to invest!
In his extremity he confided in his
wife. When she had run out Of words
Leander reminded her that all their
comfort, such as it was, had come from
his race-track winnings. Finally, In
desperation, he promised that, II she
would only give him the money to play
this one, he would never bet on horse
again.
This promisespersuaded mrs. Dilldock.
It wasn't that she was willing to invest
Q few hundred dollars to reform her
husband, but rather that she was con-
vinced that, II he was willing to risk
his racing future against the chances
of the horse the animal must be sure
thing. She drew $500 from the bank
and went with him to the track to
bet it.
The name of the horse was Dream
stun. He closed at So to l. The race
was fyrlonga. Dream STUFF broke on
top and drew away rapidly. Half
way down the .back-stretch, he was
leading by three lengths under strong
pull, and Leander was planning a vaca.
ton in Europe. Rounding the far
turn, he was i've lengths to the good,