A PARALLEL OF LUCK 



fiver over a bet, but asked me to Romano's to lunch. 

 Before we began he said : "It is very funny meeting 

 you. Do you think you can get hold of Sporting 

 Sketches ? If so, I have somebody who will buy it, 

 and you can be editor at your own price. It will 

 only take you a day or two in the week. I was really 

 going to see someone else, but am more pleased that 

 I have met you." Now, there was a bit of luck for 

 you. It was a great regret when the paper, which I 

 conducted for nearly a year, had its title changed to 

 London Sketches, and then died. It was bought by 

 the syndicate who at that time ran, and may still run, 

 the Auto-strop razor. Mr W. B. Purefoy, the brains 

 of the Druids Lodge stable, and Mr Charles Mills, the 

 well-known commissioner, were two of them. 



In the recital of our comparative triumph over the 

 Derby of 1878, it must not be thought that the path 

 of turf speculation was of the smoothest. There was 

 the usual arrogance inseparable from youth as to the 

 possession of a superior knowledge, and this sometimes 

 was costly. I suppose it was in either 1877 or 1878 

 that I first made the acquaintance of Jem Robinson, 

 who is so well known in the ring. His brother, Tom, 

 of the present firm of Turner & Robinson — Turner, 

 I suppose, is the second richest man betting in Tatter- 

 sails to-day — had won the billiard handicap at the 

 Albert Club. Jem was a very smart young fellow, 

 always immaculately dressed. He had financed a 

 tavern in the city, and we used to go there and play 

 billiards. I suppose in those days it took less to 

 amuse us, for there are happy recollections of regular 

 smoking concerts at the old " Grapes " in Jewin 

 Street. Jem Robinson played the piano very well, 

 and was always in great request. He went as far as 

 composing one or two waltzes. A year or two back, at 



II 



