George ©5bal^eston 235 



correct spot. ' The Squire ' was never the man to hesitate 

 about anything ; he quickly turned the horses' heads, 

 and, having reached the proper starting-place, com- 

 menced de novo, and accomplished the distance within 

 the hour from his first starting. When one takes into 

 consideration the road as it then was, and the kind of 

 horses attached in those days to such vehicles, it must 

 be admitted that this was a great feat of driving. 



But, amid all his multifarious sports, ' the Squire ' found 

 time to fulfil the social and political duties of his position. 

 It was his mother's ambition to see him in Parliament, 

 and, to please her, he contested the election for East 

 Retford, and was triumphantly returned at the head of 

 the poll. He was not much pleased, however, with the 

 task of canvassing for votes. One dirty fellow, he told 

 Mr Budd, approached him in a most patronising manner. 

 Holding out his filthy paw, he said, ' Tip us your manus, 

 brother sportsman ! We both hunts varmint ; you kills 

 foxes and I kills rats.' 



In his later life ' the Squire ' fell on evil days. The 

 splendid estate which he inherited slipped somehow 

 through his hands, and he was left straitened and im- 

 poverished in his old age. It can hardly be said of him 

 that he was a spendthrift, but he was open-hearted and 

 trusted others. He was constantly deceived and robbed, 

 and when his affairs were getting into confusion, he had 

 not the moral nerve to pull up in time ; nor had he a 

 sufficiently ' business ' head on his shoulders to guide 

 him safely out of his troubles. 



Apart from his connection with the Turf, which was 

 undoubtedly stained by some shady transactions, ' the 

 Squire's' career as a sportsman was a straight and 

 honourable one. Those who knew him best have borne 



