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havinjT made a great reputation over there as a writer on the shoeing of horses, 

 and he was eventually made Chief Veterinary Surgeon to the Government. 

 Amongst the fellows who followed the paper in those days were Alexander, 

 of Geo. Henderson & Co., alas long since joined the majority, Geo. Fox of the 

 same firm, who caught a chill hunting at home and died of pneumonia, James 

 Henderson, Millett, Cheetham alias "Jack Spraggon," Keith Douglas, Fred. 

 Carlisle. The Andersons of the Park, Slater of the Bank of Bengal on a 

 wonderful jumping cob, by name " Merrylegs," Charlie Muir of the Bodyguard, 

 Geo. and Willie Thomas, Charlie Moore on Duchess, Edwards also of Gillanders 

 Arbutlmot & Co. His nom dc course used to be "' Mr. Gateacre" — poor old Jim 

 Thomas, who we thought had made himself immortal by the excellent manner 

 in which he conducted the Sky Races, poor *' Jock Mclnnes" (Mr. **Goit Jack"), 

 *' Dynamite" Thomson, ** Harkaway" Simpson, who was killed being thrown 

 from his dogcart on the Red Road, Mr. Peel, who was lame, and Henry Agnew 

 who had only a leg and a half. There was good old Frank Barnes, also a 

 cripple, but who used to ride as hard as any of them. He was a brother of 

 Sir Hugh Barnes, who was Private Secretary to Sir Rivers Thompson at 

 Belvedere. He is probably still hunting the wily paper on " Reindeer" in the 

 happy hunting grounds he joined long since. Where is Captain Egan who used 

 to show us the way on " Gang Warily," Captain Webb, who many a time steered 

 Mr. Geo. Walker's " Squire" to Victory. Major Cook "The Meejor," as we 

 used to call him, as fine a horseman as you could wish to meet, and who used 

 to handle the ribbons to perfection, always a four-in-hand to any Meet, be it at 

 ToUyiiuiige, Dum-Dum or Barrackpore. Noel Watkins who used to go very 

 strong on " Norma" is with us still, so is Mr. Collin who used to pilot that 

 useful weight-carrier and pigsticker " Black Prince." Poor Bill Beresford has 

 gone, so has Jim Petrie. Do you remember the sporting match between these two 

 owners? Premier Lord William up and Mr. Petrie's Skipper. Charlie Muir 

 in the saddle. Premier won by a head. What has become of Capt. Learoyd, 

 commonly called the " Bricklayer " presumably because he was a Sapper, good- 

 looking Charlie Hum then an A. D. C. at Government House, lately with us a 

 full blown and retired Colonel, globe-trotting. Charlie Harbord, always very 

 straight and hard-riding. James Hopkins of the old 90th, the owner of " Tele- 

 gram," and Major Humphreys who developed into a Sporting Author — '' Exeter ' 

 was his horse. Amongst the ladies of those days Mrs. Cook was facile princeps. 

 She was an extraoruinaiily good horsewoman. She used to ride her husband's 

 horses in their training work and won the Paperchase Cup on Champion in 1883. 

 She was a broken-down old lady last time I saw her at home, very ill and feeblc; 

 and I doubt very much whether she is still alive. Spooner Hart was compara- 

 tively speaking a light weight in those days. He used to ride lo'o when he was 

 Veterinary Surgeon to Messrs. Cook & Co. He could not ride that weight now !1 

 Poor Traill of the Mercantile Bank who used to win on Di Vernon and who was 

 killed in a paperchase at Madras, being dashed against a tree. Reggie Murray 



