The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1935-05-13
NOW
Wonderful DGy
At PimLicO
so THEY SAY!
BY HELEN ESSARY

wv WAN w 1SS S4AS = SNSSA@SANS~
fun. But we didn't see the
ereakness or any other race.
We couldn't see over the heads
Of the multitude. We spent a
years strength struggling
through the swarms Of human
ity. We felt like flies caught in
1y-paper.
We bet wrong every time,
except once. When we bet on
the favoriteS, the long shots
came In. When we bet on the
long shots, the favorites were
first by the judges stand.
That CHEEKY boy who called
to us across the line Of race
going cars out on the ReiSters-
town Road, near the track, was
q major prophet. He said, grin
ming, as we stopped at a red
light:
"Ledy, why not give me your
money? It'll save you lots
Of trouble"
Not that we paid any atten-
ton to rude warnings. No one
on the way to Pimlico was in
the mood for warnings (the
homecoming crowd-ah! that
had a different temper.
The day was bright and
fresh.
All roads led to the Freak
ness. They had been leading
that way too long. We dis
covered this while we were
squeezing inside the entrance
gate.
Fifty thousand people-they
seemed like a million in the
heat and Sunshine-Were al
ready in the enclosure. A million
pushing, greedy people. Racing
brings out the worst character
istics in human beings. Except,
of course, Phyllis and me. We
knew we were always consider.
ate. Even while edging our way
through the mob. Crowding up
the grandstand steps. Maneuver-
ing past the platinum blondes,
the race track boys in checked
suits. Past the guards who
roared in our ears, keep the
aisleS clear"
Past the boxes with quick
how-do-you-dos to certain dis
tinguiShed personageS like Mrs.
Woodrow Wilson (Mrs. Wilson
was the guest of Mrs. Spaulding
Jenkins who has had the same
box at Pimlico for 20 years at
least). How-do-you-do's to the
Howard Bruces, CHoward, you
remember owned that great
three-year-old, Billy ton,
which ran in the Grand National
in England). To Mrs. John w.
Garrett, gowned in something
red and white and very daShing.
Past other boxes where the
guests were Governor Nice OF
Maryland he's so pounds fatter
than any quick-stepping Cover
nor ought to be-, Senator George
Radcliffe, Gen. Douglas Mac.
Arthur. And past the 1891
other more or less imposing
characters in grandstand and in
field.
Once in the grandstand, we
decided we must go down i'm"
mediately and place our bets-a
proper racing feeling. Getting
down from the grandstand to
the great room where bets are
placed was a horrible ordeal.
The crowd was like a steam
roller. It flattened us arcM'
tecturally and spiritually.
On the first race, Phyllis had
chosen Rustic Rest-the idea
seemed so pleasant on such an
afternoon. The man standing on
our toes on the club house
porch, said it came in fifth. Not
that we could see.
After this discouraging eX-
perience, I gave up the whole
racing situation and luckily
found myself a comfortable
chair in the lounge. There I
sat for two hours and watched
the hot and GREATNESS crowd
hurry through to bet.
Phyllis dashed back and forth.
seeing young friends, Rose Page,
isabel Perry, Marjorie Garland,
Hugh Reilly, Gaines Mcmillan
and Libby" Young. Mary and
jasper Du Bose were sitting on
the window sill outside the
porch door. Mrs. Emil Hurja
stopped to say she'd bet on
every horse in the third race,
but at least she'd pick a winner.
Mrs. Bruce Kremer had lost her
husband. Assistant Attorney
General William Stanley stopped
with a handful of tickets he had
lust bought for his friends on
the upper porch. Senator Tyd'
ings told Phyllis not to bet on
Nellie Flag in the PreakneSS.
He said, What could a girl do
amongst all those long legged
boys?"
So we bet our last two dollars
on Omaha. I reluctantly left
my chair. Stood tip toe trying
to see over IS of the tallest men
outside of a side show. But even
they jumped up as the horses
rushed past. Naturally, I saw
nothing. From the roars of the
mob, I gathered that Omaha
had won.
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