The Merry Past 



energy his opponent struggled for the lead, which the 

 squire allowed him to take, feeling confident that his 

 mount could not long live under it. Nor was he mis- 

 taken ; for having lost sight of him for a short time, 

 when he again came upon him it was to find him in a 

 changed position. Spread along the middle of the 

 road there lay the gallant steed in the last agonies of 

 death, while, stunned by the fall, his rider lay stretched 

 motionless by his side. 



The kind-hearted squire at once thought of nothing 

 but saving his friend, and having dismounted, used 

 every endeavour to restore animation. In this he 

 at length succeeded, for his opponent had sustained 

 no injury beyond some slight contusions and the 

 exhaustion arising from over-exertion. 



Thus ended this extraordinary race. 



The sportsmen of the past were often confronted 

 with dangers unknown in this more ciyilised age. 

 Steeple-chasing in Ireland, for instance, at times when 

 " the finest pisantry in the world " were in one of 

 their acute fits of national effervescence, was a highly 

 perilous sport. Mr. George Smith, in his day con- 

 sidered the best steeple-chase jockey in Ireland, once 

 won a race only by the exercise of great shrewdness 

 and courage. 



A steeple-chase had been advertised to take place in 

 the county of Limerick, and thither Mr. Smith re- 

 paired with Fidler, a nag of no common pretensions, 

 but who, having had a slight touch of spavin, which 

 somewhat affected him, required a good brushing 

 gallop to warm him previous to starting. At these 



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