PAST AND PRESENT LAYERS I 



Ansell, who was clerk to his father-in-law for some 

 time. Bert Ansell, who clerked for his brother for 

 years, is quite an excellent step dancer and comedian. 



Jack Langley is one of the most satisfactory men to 

 bet with ; he always has a charming manner, but for 

 the matter of that manners altogether have improved 

 on the racecourse. Mr Langley is a strong man in local 

 government at Marlow, where he lives, and is altogether 

 a good fellow. He is the same to all, big men and lesser 

 lights ; that is the charm of him. This cannot be said 

 for all of them. One firm I know can be slavishly 

 sycophantic to some and at the same time be most 

 brusque to others, who may have been of use to them 

 in one way or the other. One man I have in my mind 

 pestered me until he got an introduction to a man 

 who had just come racing, and was rich. Nothing in 

 the way of politeness was good enough for some time, 

 and then, when his business with the particular backer- 

 owner fell off, I have asked him for a few long shots — 

 prices I could get anywhere — and he would become 

 perfectly mannerless. Manner has a lot to do with 

 any sort of business or profession, and there is no doubt 

 the cultivation of politeness is a great asset, even to 

 the humblest layer of odds in Tattersalls or in the small 

 ring. The big men are accustomed to deal with big 

 people, and so many go racing nowadays that even the 

 smaller layers have their share of good customers. 



There are a few in the present day who follow the 

 methods of the old school of cash layers and shout after 

 a client when he is dissatisfied with what he is offered. 

 This is most disconcerting to the beginner, and to 

 many of these novices a bookmaker can be a terrorising 

 person, to be approached with much trepidation, I 

 think, however, that some of the brusqueness is 

 due to the fact that everything is done so quickly 



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