TURF SLANG.

Tuapeka Times, Volume VI, Issue 274, 1 May 1873, Page 9

TURF SLANG.

The slang of the turf and the batting ring (writes '"A Man at the Clubs," in Sporting Life), like the English language itself, is a com■pound of many sources, but as a rule is of a distinctive character, and often really admirable for its pith and point. Again, too, like the English l»njpi»#O proper, tbe same -nrorcl often conveys different meanings, according to the sense in which it is used. The word "safe," when applied to a burly bookmaker, is much more satisfactory to the poor backer than when the same adjective is prefixed to a horse on which he has invested his coin ; and the epithet of a "safe un" has sent the cold shivers down many a spine. And yet a " safe" horse over a country. is very , desirable in steeple-chasing. The expressions used to intimate that the horse has not tried are very many — many more, indeed, than I can probably call tamind. Several of the phrases appear to be derived from the knacker's business— such as a -'.'dead 'un," "in the cart, "a "stiff 'un'" and "as good as boiled." "Up a tree " savors of a somewhat similar source, as, when an old horse is killed for the hounds, he is quartered after being flayed, and as there is generally a tree or two in the proximity of the kennels, his limbs are hung on the branches. This is the kind of animal that abookmaker "in the know" delights to "" slate," and »ver which tiw "flats" drop their "pieces." Sometimes, however, the operation known as " doing a double "is performed, in which cas« the bookmaker is " put in the hole," and as he has not time or opportunity^ to "get out" — or, perhaps, as he does not " pipe" until after he has been " rounded upon —he may fairly be . said to be " carted." This lapt word has probably several origins, the most "reasonable being from a custom which prevails in some parts of the country, especially in Wales, where the farmer and pis wife make their weekly journeys to the market town,,' together. On such occasions a bundle of straw is always put in the cart, and while the wife sells the butter and cheese, the husband imbibes the toddy and I smokes the genial pipe. In the end it generally happens that the good man gets top heavy, the bundle has to be spread out, and the worthy farmer "carted" in the bottom -of the vehicle, while the better-half drives home. To be carted _thus ia evidently to be in a position of perfect helplessness. .1 should not like to venture on a complete list of all the name 3 given to money, i but the following are in frequent use. Thus sovereigns are teimejl " quidsy' " canaries" (in reference to their color), "jimmie3," "thick 'uns," and "fat \ins" (in reference to their weight); crown pieces are "bull" or "cartwheels' I (in reference to their size) ; aud " hah* ! a bull" is a favorite coin with small " punters. ** Shillings are "bobs" or "white uns," and sixpences rejoice in a variety of appellations, such as "tizzies," "benders," "sprats," "kicks." Banknotes are "flimsies," and so, ascending the scale, we come to the " pony" as the equivalent of five-and-twenty pounds, and the "monkey" as signifying five hundred pounds. It was attempted to make a "gorilla" a substitute for a thousand pounds, bat .the newly-discovered animal was not a popular favorite, and the old " thou" held its own. All money is understood by "pieces," "mopuses," "•wag," "dibs," "<wp»r ana if ft mm m

rot his "kick," or pocket*, well "lined," and ?F' sports" a yellow •Vraper, - asagold watch is termed, and a " sparkler," or diamond ring, on his finger, he must be a very doubtful character if they 'don't "stand" him for a "century" or two. If a man is to be " touched for pieces," it is understood that he is to be requested to settle a little outstanding account; but the delicacy of the " touch " is often aggravated to the fero-ity of the "bustle," in which case, should the victim be sensitive and the creditor of a particular school of rough tongued "pencttlers," it is ce<-tniathat if he " holds" the coin at all, he will "part" with it as quickly as possible, to avoid the shower of abuse which is the chief concomitant of the bustling process. Like the. word safe, so "square" is used for the most contradictory meanings, and when an owner or rider of a horse ia "square," it is all right j but if he is "squared" it is all wrong. Trom thiß it may be deduced that if you square a man who is already square, you totally alter he character of the individual. This sounds just as ridiculous as squaring the circle, but the effect is very different, and is not practically such a simple operation, although, when a man can be "squared," he is said to be "open to reason." Those patrons and lovers of the good old English game of " coddems"— in which the great art consists in " working the piece;" that is, for the partners on one side to endeavor to mislead their opponents as to which hand the piece of money is, in when requested to "tip it " — can appreciate the application of the word " work " to the execution of a commission, or the effecting of some important arrangement regarding a race or a bet; for to "work a commission" nowadays requires infinite tact and mystification, or otherwise somebody else "has the market," and the -rightful party are " forestalled." Anybody can give a " tip,' but what the shrewd investor wants is the '^whisper," the "office." or the "griffin," sometimes abbreviated to griff," which latter is supposed to emanate direct from "the parties" intimately connected with the horse regarding whose chance the advice is given. The " office" is given something in this" way : — Owner to friend, just before the race : " Have you done anything?" Friend to owner: "No; I don't think I shall have a ' deal ' this time." Owner to friendt "What do they lay against my horse ?" Friend to owner : v They offer 6to 1, and want 7to L" Owner to friend : "Well, go and get a bet on as soon asyou can, for we've tried him a 'moral.'" This being the straight " griff," friend rushes off to find his favorite bookmaker- net cool and collected, but in a hurry, and bursting with the importance of his mission. Bookmaker sees his eagerness, and offers 4to 1 only. "Sha'nt take it," says friend. " I've just laid four 'ponies' to So-and-so," aays bookmaker, " and you can have the same if you like— No '—well, put 90 to 20 ?' Friend, afraid the "market" is going, takes <Ji; bet. " Ninety to twenty, Silvershoe ; Captain Roberts," says the bookmaker to his clerk, and the race begins. Silvershoe •wins, but it is mortifying to Capt. Roberts to see in the papers next morning that six fifties were " going begging " about the filly, and he feels that he has been '• rushed." He sneaks serious v to the bookmaker on the subject, and on giving his authority, is told that there is nothing in "paper prices." He rather fancies himself he has been " bested" a little bit^especiwlly as the owner's " avgrage was 7 to 1," but looking at it philosophically, that as a winner he is in pocket, and that as a 'loser, it wouldn't have mattered, he "takds kindly tothe kid," or, in other words, adapts himself to the situation, as the sole did in tho frying-pan, and looks cheerful. The proverb has it 1 that "speech is silvern, but silence is golden," and probably in nothing more than racirg. is the value of this saying seen. Tq be " mum" and yet to be " fly" are valuable acquirements in certain sections of the turf community, and these qualifications are the essential requisites of a "mouse."' Taking the word mouse in its literal sense, as applying to the little rodent itself, the application to tht individual homo who is supposed to possess the qualities of the mouse is admirable and witty. A mouse — mm proper, with four legs, I mean — is one of the most sly yet sociable, artful yet open, cunning yet friendly little animals in existence. He is observing and "twigging" when nobody suspects his presence, and if his presence were suspected he would be taken comparatively little notice of. Now, a human " mouse," in turf phraseology, possesses many of these characteristics, but first of all I may describe what a "mouse" signifies. A "mouse" is a kind of sub-sub-agent to a betting firm or individual. He is supposed to be continually about— here, there, and everywhere— picking up bits of news, like his four-footed friend would bits of cheese. He enjoys a quiet kind of reputation of his own, and is a sociable little fellow, if he takes a bet or lays a bet, everybody knows the money is right. He is, in fa«t, acting under orders whenever he " nibbles,"- and tbose-orders are known to emanate from a trustworthy source. Many iadeed know or surmise who he is actuary working for, and openly call the "mouse" a " mouse!" There are different lands of mice as there are in natural history, and the comparison troughout can be made to hold fairly good. .