198 MR. SWINDELL 



There is a good and true story to be told of a match 

 that Mr. Swindell made with the baronet. Just before 

 the time appointed for it, Sir Joseph's horse was taken 

 ill and could do no work, although he was on the spot. 

 This information was no doubt supplied to Swindell by 

 his touts. But his own horse was in a much worse 

 plight, not being able to leave the stable at all. Thinking 

 Sir Joseph would never run his horse in such a state of 

 health, or rather illness, he ordered his trainer, Mr. 

 William Treen, of Beckhampton, to bring another horse 

 of his that was something of the same colour, and to say 

 nothing to anyone as to what it was, or its age, and not 

 to satisfy any inquiry as to what he was intended to run 

 for. This had the desired effect, and it was immediately 

 concluded by the touts those astonishing judges of 

 horse-flesh that the real Simon Pure had come up for 

 the match, and the unwelcome news was forthwith 

 conveyed to the baronet by the men employed for the 

 purpose. The match was for 200 a side, half forfeit. 

 Mr. Swindell went to Messrs. Weatherby's office in the 

 evening and paid in two hundred-pound notes, to make 

 stakes for the match he had with Sir Joseph the next 

 day, and straight away left for his lodgings. Sir Joseph, 

 coming immediately after the other had departed, said to 

 Weatherby : 



* Have you heard anything of Swindell's horse ?' 



1 No, Sir Joseph,' was the reply : ' but he has just 

 been here and paid his stake, so of course he intends to 

 run.' 



' Then,' says Sir Joseph, ' I pay forfeit,' and the matter 

 ended. 



Of the truth of this story there can be no manner of 

 doubt, for Mr. Swindell told me it himself, and indeed 

 approved what I have said when alluding to it in my 



