THE ADELAIDE OBSERVER ON BOOKMAKERS.

Inangahua Times, Volume IV, Issue 53, 10 August 1877, Page 2

THE ADELAIDE OBSERVER ON BOOK MAKERS.

The professional bookmaker surpasses in one or two ways what wo might perhaps be inclined to expect, of him. Sometimes he makes money, sometimes he loses it, but his speculation is safer for himself than, ordinary trade is for the commercial mm. He has studied the laws of chances, and makes his gains out of men who know less, and are less patient, prudent, and decisive in. their action than him«elf. He is, as a rule, the safest man to bet with, aa he must pay his losses or his profession is gone. Sometimes he is swindled by welshers, but ho makes it hot for them, and they are obliged to avoid the racecourse. He pays his. debts, 'and therefore is supposed to deserve, his gains, but the. latter make him a constant object of suspicion in con nection v(\W\ losing horspsiand jockeys. Notwith«ttan,ding hia. noisiness and the inelegant force and energy of his adjectives a.iid expletives, he if a ii.um.hle mar He is no revivalist., believing, that he lihs a commission to convert tlie world, lie does not bellow from a political platform, nor does he tulk twaddle to the Philosophical Society. He sticks to Isis prol fession. The bookmaker nevor interferes, , in social movements for the improve- ' i mpnt of bis kind. He has no aspiration to convert o»* civilise or improve his fellovr- ,. creatures* If ho ever offers up a prayer }on their behalf, it is. that Providence may r endow them with largo purses and soft brains, and incline their, hearts to favor P horseflesh. Then no man ever brings f home to. the observer so conclusively that great elementary truth of, racing life, f that if an individual will only consistently , pocket imputations on his honesty, and, f refrain from denouncing any form of im« f position or meanness on the part of his ; confederates, he vrill hayo a much . pleasanter time of it thanif he were.more sensitive. And then the. bM fide book* \ maker is, sp, consistent. He has a knack [ of always turning up wherever there is , any, game to. he bagged, % ,evea on Bus p alert, and, ever ready for- action with, a , punctuality that is little short ofmiracu- , ious. And he always makes his way [ where the. scent is hot, w.hether he is , welcome op not. If the bookmaker finds 1 himself in. a locality where it is not the fashion to bo honest, he can w.ait for any length of time to see if the fashion w.ill ,' change. Moralists may assert that he has destroyed 'he fresli^&ol the turf, degraded a, manly and healthful sport; but 5 it is at least undeniable that ia the virtues of patience, perseverance* prudence, sobriety, and- humility, the bookmaker sets an example to better men.