126 MR. PARKER 



Merry had backed Joe Miller for a lot of money, told 

 that gentleman what he had done with some glee, and 

 greatly to Mr. Merry's annoyance, as he told Mr. Parker 

 afterwards. But they both had their revenge, and the 

 stable also, in the Chester Cup. Mr. Parker, entirely 

 for himself, independently of the commission, took the 

 following bets from Davis, ' the Leviathan': 25 monkeys 

 to 1, or 12,500 to 500; and again, 12 monkeys to 1 

 against him for the Emperor's Cup at Ascot, both of 

 which he literally won in a trot though the last victory 

 was more owing to his being well and the state of the 

 ground than to any merit of his own. But, under any 

 circumstances, it is pleasant to win of one professional 

 18,500 in bets in the course of a couple of months on 

 one horse, and get it paid (free of duty). In those days 

 you did not see only three or four horses brought to the 

 post to run for valuable cups, nor half a score contend- 

 ing for the Chester Cup or other big handicaps. For 

 the Cup in Joe Miller's year there were no fewer than 

 forty-three runners, and thirty runners in One Act's year. 

 A good deal was said of Joe Miller's condition, or 

 rather of his appearance, before this race. Mr. Parker 

 advised his friend Captain Brabazon to back him; and 

 this the latter assuredly would have done, only happen- 

 ing to see the horse just before entering the saddling 

 paddock, looking, as he said, so wretchedly bad, he 

 altered his mind ; and instead sought out Parker, and 

 began abusing him for recommending him to back a 

 creature that could scarcely walk round the ring, much 

 less gallop the course. These hasty words would have 

 led to blows, but for the timely interference of friends. 

 After the race, the captain, as meek then as he had 

 been furious before, had the good sense to offer an 

 ample and acceptable apology. The truth is, as I 



