Social Card Playing. - Jockey Clubs.

apparently with so much ease to themselves, that Mr. C. formed a better opinion of this kind of sport. Mr. T. saw that he was favorably impressed with what had passed, and in a few evenings after, gave him an invitation to attend a party at his house. The evening came, and Mr. C. attended, and found a number of young persons amusing themselves with cards. They insisted on Mr. C. joining them, which he refused, urging as a plea for his refusal, that he was wholly unacquainted with games of that kind. This the company overruled, as they promised to instruct him. They drew for partners, and Mr. C. drew for his a Miss Amelia, the niece of Mr. T., a very beautiful girl, and a first-rate whist player. The evening passed away, and Mr. C. was very much delighted with the game. At the close of the evening's amusements, Mr. T. proposed to Mr. C. that he would accompany him to the city on the following day, observing that himself and Miss Amelia were going, and that there would be a vacant seat; to this invitation the young gentleman promptly assented. They accordingly set out for the city next morning, Miss Amelia appearing much elated with her anticipated visit to the city, but particularly with the prospect of being present at the races.

sir

Ah, indeed!" said Mr. C., "I never knew that the ladies visited the races." "O yes," said Mr. T., "all the tips of society attend our clubs; that is, Mr. C., privately; no swindling, all merely for pastime and sport, there is a great deal of difference, I assure you, "I suppose so," said Mr. C., " but I know nothing about any kind of racing, except that of boys in their sports at school." Well," said Mr. T., "I will explain the difference; the match-races are made by two men, each starting a horse; each man puts up so much,

sir."

First Lesson in Horse-racing. - The Theatre.

and the fastest horse wins the money, and so you see sometimes they do cheat in this kind of racing. But, sir, whenever each man starts a horse, (sometimes seven or eight start,) the one that gets out first takes the money, and then you see that none of us gentlemen of the club can lose much." Mr. C. replied that he had always had a very contemptible feeling for all kinds of sporting. "O yes," said Mr. T., "and so did I with certain classes of sportsmen; but we club-men always see to it that none of this loose class of men get in with us."

When they arrived at the city, they put up at one of the principal hotels. After tea, Mr. C. was invited to wait on Miss Amelia to the theatre. This being a place nearly as bad in Mr. C.'s eyes as the race-course, he said to Mr. T. that he had always thought, from what he had heard, that the theatre was a place of dissipation. "O no," said Mr. T.; "not those that we attend ; as if there was a line of distinction to be drawn between theatres. "You will see," added Mr. T., "all the first people of the city there, and you will see nothing but the most innocent amusement."

Mr. C. finally concluded to go. He felt very much interested, and could not see what harm there could be in going to such a place. The next scene for him to visit was the race-course, though it cost him a struggle to overcome his objections to going; he thought, however, that if such young ladies as Miss Amelia could attend such places, there was no good reason that he should stay away; he therefore determined to go.

They had not been on the ground long, before the horses were called up by the drum, and Mr. C. was very much delighted with the gay dress of the riders, and the

Ladies betting on a Horse-race.

bustle and animation of the scene generally; and upon seeing one of Mr. T.'s black boys in his jockey dress, he remarked to Miss Amelia, "I believe that is your uncle's boy, is it not?" "O yes," said she, "uncle has a beautiful gray colt to run for the sweep-stake to-day; you recollect seeing him run the other day at home, when they were training him?" He replied, "I do not understand the meaning of the term sweep-stake." "O, that is, when they make a race, they will, as many as wish, put up perhaps one hundred dollars each; and each man that has a horse, which he thinks can win, enters him, and they run, and the fastest horse takes the whole of the money: then," she added, "you are at liberty to bet on any one you please, being the lucky horse: do you ever bet?" "No, miss," said he, "I never bet a straw on any thing in my life, and to say the truth, I never knew how." "Then," she observed, "you must watch me, and I will instruct you." The time came for the horses to start, and Miss Amelia wished to make a bet, in which she was soon accommodated by some other lady. She made a number of bets on her uncle's colt. At length the horses were started, her uncle's horse keeping behind, and one of the other horses winning the first heat. There was great excitement, and a great many offering to bet four to one that Mr. T.'s horse would not win. Miss Amelia was taking all the bets she could, until the horn called them up to start. Mr. C. had now become excited, fearing that Miss Amelia would lose her money, her bets amounting, in all, to several hundred dollars. Still, however, she appeared desirous to bet more, and her uncle sat and laughed at her giddy notions; but said that he liked to see her have so much nerve or courage to bet. The horses started

A Card Party. Mr. C― participates in it.

the second time, and ran very handsomely, Mr. T.'s colt in the rear, until they had run about three quarters of a mile; when Mr. T. made a motion with his handkerchief, and immediately his horse made an effort, and passed them like a flash, and won the second heat. Mr. C. appeared to be very much elated with the result, and there was a great change in the countenances of the people present: after this Miss Amelia seemed perfectly easy. The horses started on the third heat, and Mr. T.'s colt continued in the rear for about the same distance as in the preceding heat, when Mr. T. raised his handkerchief as before, and then his colt, like a shot, passed them all, and won the third heat with ease, which brought the race to a conclusion.

Miss Amelia, having received her winnings, departed for the city, in company with Mr. C., who was evidently highly delighted with the amusements of the day; and upon their arrival at the hotel, this was the whole theme of their conversation. The next day there was another fine race; and Mr. T., having entered another horse, was again successful: Mr. C. seemed as much delighted with the sport as on the day before. On the third day Mr. T. did not enter for the purse, but every thing passed off very agreeably. That night Mr. C. was invited to a card party, to which he went with Miss Amelia. The opposite partners (Miss Amelia having selected Mr. C. as hers) proposed betting wine and sweetmeats: Miss Amelia took the bets, and she and Mr. C. beat the others quite easily; and when they retired, Mr. C. began to think that he might be classed among the good whist players, and considered it a very pleasant amusement. The following day they went to the races, and witnessed a very delightful day's sport,