About Breeches and Boots. 129 



and from the suburbs clung to the tops until thev passed 

 away. 



And now for the cause of the appearance of this gossipincr 

 paper. It occurred thus: On the Oaks day I met an old 

 friend, who was riding across Mitcham Green, with whom I 

 have had many a chat on many a cricket ground, and 

 whose name I do not know, who always wears top-boots, 

 spurs and cords, and whom I never saw in the streets or in 

 the country or in the suburbs except on a good horse I 

 know he is not a dealer, nor does he ride horses to sell I 

 was laughing with him about his tops, and told him that 

 i never remembered an Epsom week in which I did not see 

 him on the way to the races or coming back, or on the 

 course, and he said that he had been— I think— for thirty 

 nine years in the same dress. There was another thine 

 which put the subject into my head, and it was this • On 

 the 29th of May last, the anniversary of a day some two 

 centuries and a quarter ago, or thereabouts, when Charles 

 II. was '^ first for the oaks," after his father had lost a crown 

 by " a neck on the post," there was cricket at Lord's between 

 two elevens, most of whom, from boyhood upward, have 

 almost lived in breeches and boots. The players were the 

 huntsmen and the jockeys. I was very doubtful about the 

 '' Jockeys and Huntsmen's" match which we all remember 

 took place on the Saturday in Derby week. I fancied there 

 would be a lot of loafers, and especiallv our friend ^' 'Arry 

 the Cockney Cad," who -knew old Geor^y Fordham and 

 Freddy Archer, my boy," and ^' five-to-one-bar-one school " 

 It was "very much t'other," and proves exactly what I 

 always have maintained, which is that the betting rinc don't 

 care a straw for anything but the money. As to the match, 

 _ ±5ells Life " has a most elaborate and accurate account of 

 It, which any one can see. As regards the cricket, naturally 

 amongst the huntsmen there were many men heavily handi- 



