A USEFUL PUNTER.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume IX, Issue 446, 9 February 1899, Page 17

A USEFUL PUNTER.

An old friend of mine (writes “ The Guv’nor”) who is perhaps the oldest fielder remaining at his post to-day, used to settle a good many accounts, and was—“ Take him for all in all ” — a very estimable man. He has been blessed with a good many useful punters during his long career, and were he so disposed could tell some amusing tales anent the same. He once had amongst his clientele a gentleman, for whom he also acted as agent or settler ; and he was a very good sort for however diminutive the account he never forgot to include the£l which is the usual fee for settling this kind of account, and as he did nearly the whole of bis betting with one man, and that one man my friend—whom I will call Mr Thomas —it was generally an easily earned sovereign. And, in fact, on one occasion he carried his punctiliousness to an almost ludicrous excess. He had been out for a few days’ racing, and, as was nearly the invariable custom, he had a losing account; but he had confined the whole of his business on this occasion to my friend Thomas, who was a good deal amused on his arrival at “ the Vie. ” to find not only a cheque for the amount he had lost to Mr Thomas, but included in it was the usual fee for settling his account.

On another occasion this same punter was racing a whole week, and was betting with unusual recklessness, but still mostly with friend Thomas. After he got back home the bookmaker received a telegram—“ Have not the slightest idea how I stand with you. Let me know.” Now it so happened that the punter had this week blundered on to several long-priced winners, and Mr Thomas made out himself indebted £340 to the punter, so he simply wired in return, “ I make the difference between us £340.” You may imagine my old friend’s amazement when he found himself in the punter’s account to receive, instead of to pay, £340.