146 MR. PARKER 



1 You will find plenty at Woodyates that can, Parker,' 

 said the Admiral. This was true, and the Admiral him- 

 self had many that could ; and the only difference 

 between the two men was, that the one did know when 

 he had one that could stay, and the other did not. We 

 have positive proof of this in the fact of the Admiral dis- 

 posing of Weather gage and Weathercock, as well as Killi- 

 grew, and, probably the best horse of his year, Asteroid, 

 simply because he did not recognise their quality. 



Mr. Parker trained with me for fifteen years, and we 

 never had a serious disagreement that I remember. We 

 parted for a very simple matter. I wanted him to take 

 Farce out of training. And it was a farce, as truly as 

 that that was her name, to keep her in training. But 

 he was very fond of her, as she was out of his favourite 

 mare One Act, that never bred one worth a guinea, 

 throwing back to her brother and sister, which were 

 both good for nothing a thing we often see in breeding. 

 I left Farce at Newmarket, where he ran her, and was 

 third. Then he sent her to a trainer near where he was 

 himself living, which may have to some extent induced 

 him to make the change. I have referred at some length 

 to this matter in my former book, and will only add 

 here that she never won a race afterwards, though 

 heavily backed in bad company. Our parting, however, 

 fortunately made no difference whatever in our friend- 

 ship ; for we had no words over it, and I visited him at 

 his new house, and was continually meeting and staying 

 with him at race-meetings. 



Mr. Parker was, as I have said, both successful and 

 discreet. He was, moreover, frugal without covetous- 

 ness, and manly without pride. Sick of a London life, 

 he retired to his native village, and purchased Sibbers- 

 field Hall, a gentlemanly residence in the neighbourhood, 



