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About Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922 | View Entire Issue (July 6, 1902)
Eastern Women Who Bet on Horse Races " .7-- W 3 ? If f FniV m CJIIUiKEN, TOO, HA VK THEIR BETS TO PLACE. IlKTTINC. COMMISSIONERS HARD AT WORK. IJ I think Teakettle would be a gooil shoulders to receive the applause of the I t 1 . . O t 1 . . 1 UllIMt! 1U lla . til HlUimtlUU. "He's the favorite; you'd get In fact, women are rather better losers a little more of a run for your than winners, eo far as their expression money, though, on Jim Dandy." of emotion goes. Up In the boxes one good "Oh, give me Jim Dandy, then, by all soul, who is obviously out with the Inten means." tion of enjoying every minute of the race, The first speaker was a dear old woman, has won on the orange and green. Long and he who advised Jim Dandy looked after the clapping of the rrowd has begun suspiciously like her son. With her wn to die down one hears her palms working another old woman, Just as sweet as she. vigorously up above. More than that, her They were delightful persons, who knew laughter rings from one end of the stand exactly what to do with any baby when to the other. The girl below, who has lost, It woke up In the night with a pain In Its flames up and smiles With recovered cheer little tummy, but there they were, betting fulness. Then they both set to work, the away at the races and having the time of one to recoup her fallen fortunes and the their lives. other, probably, to lose all her winnings Is it true that, given an opportunity, n an attempt to double them. But oh, the women are more reckless gamblers than excitement she will have before she goes men? Really, a visit to the race track home as poor as when she left or a good would seem to show some truth In the deal poorer! For your true philosopher assertion. with the sporting spirit goea to the races There Is rather an Impression that the with Just eo much as he or she can afford women who care, financially, which horse to lose. If fortune favors, well and good, is first at the post, who turn pale when but, anyway, there Is a glorious run for the they see a yellow and black blouse Jostle money. one of purple and blue from the Inside As the races follow one after the other position1, are necessarily of the "loud" va- the women grow more and more enthusl riety, with hair that even Charity herself nstic. Among them circles the betting must admit to be at least suspicious. Such commissioners. Since many women go down is not the case. At a great race In this to the track without an escort of man, country, as in those across the water, all merely taking along another woman as a sorts and conditions of women are to companion, theBe men who circulate be found. Some are of aggressive per- through the crowded seats are their only sonality, truly, but the majority are ordi- way of communicating with the betting nary, "nice" women out for a holiday, ring. The commissioners are fairly mobbed Hut the things that they do when fortune as time passes and the race Is Bure to be favors them or disaster overtakes their called In a very few minute, sporting ventures, are not always ordinary! "Gracious! I didn't realize there was so There are women who "play the races" much money In the world!" groaned one as with the persistency of the "sportiest" he escaped from the mob one particularly man, who are born and by custom gam- crowded day. biers. These haunt the track at all races. j the wide space between the grand They go alone; they do not put on their Btand and the track a crowd Is surging to finery, and they show little or no emotion, an,j fro nn the afternoon. These people ono way or the other. With them business are too eager to bet to go up and sit is business. The more interesting portion peacefully on the seats. Among them are of the spectators Is that made up of a goodly number of women, and, what Is women who follow the sporting columns surprising to the novice, of children. Down of the newspapers with more or loss In- near the Judge's stand are a dozen or twen terest and see the track two or three ty little ones, from 8 to 14 years old. Every times a season. Their emotions are not blunted; their enthusiasm has not evap orated with habit. They can, and do, make a great deal of noise. The types of a racetrack! It Ib the place of all places for the student of human nature. Every grade of society Is repre sented. Up aloft are the rich and great. In boxes which have the advantage over those of the theater In that one can see m them; but this disadvantage, that . V - .. V. i V. I . I T . ones gowns cuuuoi ut? uu mihuuiuu. ow. on the benches or the grancistana, su the women who aid not come in parties or who do not expect to be rich until after the race of the day has been run. The huge grandstand stretches away beyond the win ning post on each side, but all can see well enough, and even If one couldn't the scraps of conversation which float around the seats are almost as Interesting as the spectacle on the track. Down near the front of the grandstand one finds the enthusiasts who came early to secure the best seats. Over the railing are spread sheets and sheets of newspapers which give the "past performances" of the runners. A woman of this type has a pen cil and glances continually from her racing card to the papers as she makes notes. She works hard she has come there to make money, and Is not going to bet mere ly on the horse with the prettiest name. From the direction of the betting ring comes her escort; she leans over in ex citement and consults with him for a few minutes. Then she bands over to him a pile of greenbacks, and he disappears to place her money. For women, even the sportiest, are forbidden the charmed pre cincts of the betting ring. (Walt, though, till we have woman suffrage!) Then, if one is Interested in such types, one watches the girl as the race Is called. She stands up and fixes her field glasses. Her face changes its expression on an average of once a second. She shouts encourage ment to the horse of her choice, dances about wildly as he presses hard on the one in the lead, and collapses limp In her seat when the rival orange and green dashes in flr.-t. But she Is a good loBer; most women at the racetrack have that virtue. She even smiles at the winning Jockey faintly, but with the real sporting spirit- when he takes his seat In the floral horse- k; 'J; cm V"""" COLORED WOMEN ARE AMONG THE M OST EARNEST STUDENTS. WATCHING A CLOSE FINISH. one has his or her racing card nnd dicll. They pore over these documents nnd make notes in exact Imitation of their elders. They stand on tiptoe when the raco Is be ing run and shout nnd wave their hnnN as excitedly as did the good wotnnn of tin1 box. Are they only "making believe?" Not always, by any means. They are the chil dren, probably, of sporting men, nnd th-y live In the ntmosphere of the track. They are familiar with the horses' names, nnd they not Infrequently have money of their own to bet, perhnps on father's riding or father's horse. And bet they do. And like wise, qulto often. They are about ns good Judges of a horse ns most of tho bettors! Here and there ono sees many colored women, dressed In the height of style, and betting vigorously. They are a feature of the track. All the world knows the sym pathy that exists between the negro and the horse. What self-respecting colored man does not think he can mnnnge a horse better than his white neighbor? And he can, too, as n rule. Colored men tro al ways to be found "plnylng the race," nnd their wives or sweethearts come nlong nnd vie with their white sisters in ridding themselves of their money. It might shock some people, this scene. It would not shock many, for the prevail ing note Is good humor and enjoyment, but a distrust of the unearned Increment and of all who take delight therein Is profound ly rooted In the breasts of a portion of the community. Still, such sport teaches women many a good lesson. To bear losses quietly, holding one's tongue ami smiling pleasantly at the success of someono else Is to achieve, if not greatness, something which Is highly desirable. To reneh n de cision quickly when necessary, and tnke the consequences. Is another lesson which Ih of considerable vnlue In the affairs of life. A good many people think that women are all the better for having their sporting instincts strengthened; nnd they may be quite right. Anyway, one la wise to think so when one goes to the races, and then It Is possible to come away In a fine glow of morality! (Ml oca mm m IS rlmlsls TWO B I G WINNERS Won 125000 Rogprsvllle, Feb. 20, 1901 Dear Friend . Your letter Jut received and 1 ac knowledge the re ceipt of check for 11.250, for which 1 feel very grate ful to your jour nal. It was through your kind and liberal oftVr that I aent my Ave gueaaea, among which the lucky number vii, for which I thank you many tlmea. I ahall call It a very nlc birthday preaent, ai I received notice of my being a winner on the 68th anniversary of my birth. I have It lately deposited In the bank, and I hope It will do me much good In our declining yeara, aa my husband and myself are going that way. I ahall always have a good word for the promptneas and falr neaa of your magazine Again thanking you for your congratulations. I am very truly yours. MRS. A. O. NOBLE. Won $800.00 Falrg rove, Feb. HO, 1H"2. Gentlemen : I received your eh.-. It fur IhoO.OO and was never mora surprised than when I was notified of mj good luck. I have tried many times In different con tests, but hav ntvsr before ton. I must acknowl edge the way in hl h the route st aa conducted In every wsy bo neat and fair. I think Ian safely say I am the flmt person to win any su b nmou'it as the above In thla part of the country. I send you under separate cover my photograph. KfijM-ct-fully yours, G. F. B1LU3. 1 THESB are two sample letters of scores which we have received from our patrona acknowledging the receipt of 1,1 rh prte won In some of the big caah contests which we have advertised In the pant. During the last three years the totnl amount of cash In the dis'rlhutlon of w,hlh Hie pal s of this houae have shared, has been nearly (INK IH'NDItKO Tllot'SANK Ilill.I.AHS (flWl.nnn ). The amount paid to Indlvliluals have run from II ll up to 15,iKolK). Have you been one of the fortunate ones? If not, we offer you one more chance to win a fortune-, ahlih you should take at once We now offer you an opportunity to share in the distribution of $16,200 AEHY3 FLGRD&IE LLNDCVAEE RRSNHIAO TNGRA Can you arrange these Ave different groups of letters Into the names of five (t former presidents of the United Plates? If so you ran share In this distribution. We will give away l.20O.0o In cash an d Four Genuine (trand 1'prlKht 1'iaiios among thone who enter this content and ruinply with one very Rim pl condition whl h need not tnke a half hour of your time. Many. In fart, have a rompllshed It In lean than ten minutes KKAh 'A U KKIXI.Y. HK M KM HE ft we do not wsnt one cent of your money when you answer this content. In muklng the five names the letters can only t lined In their own groups, and as many times aa they appear In each Individual group, and no letters rati he used whl h does not sppear In Ita own group. Aitt r ymi have arranged the five groups and formed the Ave correct name, write them out plainly and send to us and you will receive our reply by reitiro mull THY AND WIN. If you make the five correct names and send them to us st once, who knows hut you may get a big caith prize and also A (iKM'ISK (iltANH t'l'itli.UT I'lANO. We hope you will, and anyhow IT COSTS Vol! MiTMINO TO THY. i. In addition to the prizes Just named, we will give you abnoluttly KHKK an opportunity to win without any Further K pen He or Iabor any one of 1,'MtQ Grand anti Prizes amounting to 1 16.000. 00 more divided aa follows. FIRST PRIZE $5,000.00 IN CASH S cond Prize $2000.00; Third Prize $1030-00; Fourth Prize $500.00; Fifth Prize $300.00; Sixth Prize $200.00; Seventh Prize $100. 00; and 993 OTHER PRIZES, ALL IN CASH ami COSTING YOU NOTHING All these prizes will positively be paid In cah, and let ua urge you not to lone this golden opportunity to win. Others have won In previous dis tributions. This Is your turn. Try It! Theae l.ooo prizes amounting to Fifteen Thoutunid On liars will poxlilvely l,e paid to thoMt who send In the iorrt or nearest correct answers. It conts you nothing, ihere Is nothing for you to do beyond Mending In your armwer. Just thi will you, for a minute, what the winning of this big prUe of $5,nio 00 In ready cash would mean to you and then remember that some one will surely t t, and It might be you aa well aa some one else. Why, It would start you In btislneHs or hulid you a One home! It would pay all your debts or give a good Income for life! properly Invented It means from one to two dollars a day an long as you live end then yon could will the entire sum to sny pe r good cauae you wish. The possibilities of smb. a sum are almont limitless and the same can be said of the It'.O other prizes of from two thousand di( . down. Now. dear frU we are putting all thla within your reah. Will you Just xt retch out your hand to take It? We can't force you to. If you won't, but who would be so tt 'h a to let a chance like this slip when they know that we will do Just as we say snd that the money will t-urely tw paid as agreed? This la a bona fide oi.er of cash that la made In good faith, and we are sure that you are one of the i nterpriMing friends who will seize the opportunity to win. Even If you have tried In other contents and failed do not let that keep you out of this one, for who knows but this will be the very time when j ou will succeed? It Is surely worth this one more trial, at leant when you think how many different prizes we offer you, so many In fact that It seems aa If you could not help winning some one of the large sized ones. Others have won large four figure cash prizes In previous contests In which our patrons have participated? You may be the neit. Don't be discouraged. This Is positively the chance of a lifetime to get rl h at one favorable stroke of fortune. Don't neglect snd regret It forever afterward. If you would like a nice home of your own Just think what this r.,0oo oo would do for you! If you are In debt or would like to atari In buslnena think what m could do with $5,000.00! If you are working hard for a living, think what a blessing It would be to receive at the end of the content a certified cannier' he. k for $5,000 00 which you . ild turn Into that much cash at any hank In the land. All this Is as poasible for you as for any one. Wrlt ua at once. Do not delay, or you will rg- t It when thla contest for theae 1,00 prizes clones. Address your letter snd tend It at once to Wood Publishing Co,, Dept, 111 2913 Congress St, Boston, Mass,
