The Life of a Great Sportsman 



trimmed down ; ditches cleared, etc., etc., and the course (this 

 we also had determined) flagged in correct steeplechase fashion, 

 and the desired racing kits to be home made. Thus, we having 

 won the day with the arbiters of our fate, the other parents of 

 competitors in the coming race fell into line ; and nothing now 

 remained but to get the racing kits ready, the racecourse in 

 order, and to fix the day. 



Naturally, first in order came the choosing of their racing 

 colours by my two brothers. In anxious conclave, assisted by 

 our elders, it was decided that the new Richardson colours 

 should be Orange and Blue. My eldest brother's should 

 be " Orange body, blue sleeves, orange cap ; " Maunsell's 

 were " blue body, orange sleeves, blue cap." It was in these 

 same colours that my eldest brother won many races as a 

 young man ; and they were also Maunsell's colours for many 

 years, in fact until those were registered in which he won his 

 first Grand National. 



But after the selection of the colours, there were so many 

 other practical and important details to be attended to, that a 

 fortnight was considered the shortest time in which everything 

 could be got ready. Two weeks at that time of life is more 

 like two months later on, but we tried to possess our souls in 

 patience, and revelled in the thought of superintending the 

 necessary details, including the buying and fashioning of each 

 article that would be required for the racing outfits, to the 

 minutest detail. 



Glazed calico of the correct shade was ordained for the 

 jackets and caps (we were not allowed to run to silk) ; while 

 for the breeches, two pairs belonging to our defunct racing 

 great-uncle, Mr. Thos. Marris, one of grandmother's brothers, 

 were to be cut down to the required size. The correct racing 

 boots, we soon found, were to prove our greatest trouble. 



34 



