152 CANADIAN TURF RECOLLECTIONS 



Such was the assurance given me by the white, wooly- 

 headed coon of Arkansaw, and so thoroughly grounded 

 was his faith in this potent charm that it would have been 

 cruelty of the most refined character to have made the 

 slightest effort to uproot the faith that was in him. A 

 friend of mine who accompanied me on the trip, became 

 inoculated with faith in the yarn, and the following 

 spring at the Woodbine races, armed with his rabbit's 

 foot, he proceeded to make Fis selections. He made four 

 bets on the opening day, five on the second day and did 

 not cash a single ticket. Mad as a wet hen at the result 

 of his faith in the negro legend, he threw away bunny's 

 pedal extremity. It was picked up by one of his friends, 

 who carelessly put it in his vest pocket, more for the 

 novelty of the article than for any faith in the charm it 

 was said to possess. The next day he made three bets 

 and won them all. The following day he wagered four 

 times and won each time. And the third day the original 

 owner, regretting his hasty temper, was around town 

 hunting up the friend that had had such marvellous luck 

 with the rabbit's foot. 



Its succeeding history remains to be told, although I 

 have heard it whispered that a charming young society 

 lady of Toronto afterwards carried it concealed in a 

 place the whereabouts of which was not likely to be known 

 to any but her waiting maid. 



