Evening star., 1943-06-22

fact that I have returned from so
many race tracks in my time in a
similar condition enables me to
keep struggling onward, down dusty
lanes, paved highways, through
quaint little towns inhabited by
quaint people, who won't feed you
unless you have some money.
1t must be obvious to you now
that l bet on the wrong horse, if
what bet on can be called a horse
without libeling every horse from
Black Beauty downward. The horse
waged on was owned by lord, a
peer of the realm, and unfortunately
the gout that his lordship has had
for 20 years finally has settled in
the toes of his favorite steed.
Governor Saw Red.
1t is the first time in my long ex-
perience that I have ever backed a
horse whose diet could not have
been anything but port or claret
served at stable temperature. The
horse was tipped to me by a tout
who f1attered me into taking his
word by calling me governor" This
flattery so went into my head that
let him think that I was a gov
ernor. In fact, I told him I was
Governor of Rhode Island. It's
beap pun, but he had this Rhods
Island seeing red before the after
noon was over.
But III say this for the man, how
ever. He stuck with me. He is
with me now as I write this in q
patch Of gorse. We are down to his
diamond horseshoe stickpin. I am
all for pawning it, but, because of
sentimental reasons, he has refused
to do this. He maintains we can
live on gorse if We have to.
don't believe him because I have
just tried handful of gorse and
the best way can describe it to you
is to tell you that gorse has prac-
ticaly the same taste as would a
green salad made Of a mixture of
pin cushions. porcupine quills and
| thistles. 1t may contain many life
giving vitamins, but so may ground
glass If you are mad enough to
try it.
1t was with high hopes that
went to Newmarket. just as it was
with high hopes that I went to
Churchill Downs, Santa Anita, Bel
mont and the Fair Grounds. 7
studied the form charts. I exam
ined the horses to a point where
| they almost bit me. I talked to
little men who had more wrinkles
in their faces than a Liberty ship
full Of prunes. And, occasionally
slipped into the members stand and
rubbed elbows with blood so blue
that years of drinking Scotch has
never tainted it.
Derby Never Changes.
Newmarket was a madhouse with
cuckoo clocks for doorstops, The
night before the Derby people were
paying five pounds for chairs to
sleep in and Merlin, the magician,
couldn't have gotten a seat in a
restaurant.
Wars come and go, but the Derby
never changes. 1t is, more than
any one single thing, an unchange-
able part of England's life. As ths
London Times pointed out, no Eng
lishman thought it ridiculous when
year ago Malta, while undergoing
one of its heaviest bombardments.
radioed for the starting field of the
Derby. In their caves, the folks
of Malta still wanted to bet among
themselves on the winner.
Just moment-my friend. the
tout, has just had his second helping
OF gorse and has taken off his
diamond horseshoe pin. He is ready
to pawn 1t. So with your permis-
sion, the two of us will once again
set of down the long road toward
London. not only sadder and wiser
but eyeing one another with but one
thought, namely, what is the pen
atty for highway cannibalism In ths
British Isles. Ere night falls. NAV
have tout thermidor.
distributed by McEausht Syndicate, Incl