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Eugene Field - How Salty Win Out
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I used to think that luck wuz luck and nuthin` else but luck--
It made no diff`rence how or when or where or why it struck;
But sev`ral years ago I changt my mind, an` now proclaim
That luck`s a kind uv science--same as any other game;
It happened out in Denver in the spring uv `80 when
Salty teched a humpback an` win out ten.

Salty wuz a printer in the good ol` Tribune days,
An`, natural-like, he fell into the good ol` Tribune ways;
So, every Sunday evenin` he would sit into the game
Which in this crowd uv thoroughbreds I think I need not name;
An` there he`d sit until he rose, an`, when he rose, he wore
Invariably less wealth about his person than before.

But once there came a powerful change; one sollum Sunday night
Occurred the tidal wave that put ol` Salty out o` sight.
He win on deuce an` ace an` Jack--he win on king an` queen--
Clif Bell allowed the like uv how he win wuz never seen.
An` how he done it wuz revealed to all us fellers when
He said he teched a humpback to win out ten.

There must be somethin` in it, for he never win afore,
An` when he told the crowd about the humpback, how they swore!
For every sport allows it is a losin` game to luck
Agin the science uv a man who`s teched a hump f`r luck;
And there is no denyin` luck wuz nowhere in it when
Salty teched a humpback an` win out ten.

I`ve had queer dreams an` seen queer things, an` allus tried to do
The thing that luck apparently intended f`r me to;
Cats, funerils, cripples, beggers have I treated with regard,
An` charity subscriptions have hit me powerful hard;
But what`s the use uv talkin`? I say, an` say again:
You`ve got to tech a humpback to win out ten!

So, though I used to think that luck wuz lucky, I`ll allow
That luck, for luck, agin a hump aint nowhere in it now!
An` though I can`t explain the whys an` wherefores, I maintain
There must be somethin` in it when the tip`s so straight an` plain;
For I wuz there an` seen it, an` got full with Salty when
Salty teched a humpback an` win out ten!
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