CHAPTER XL 



University Steeplechase Meeting at Banbury — A Nasty Brook — A 

 Famous Race over the Broughton Farm — A Horse comes Up- 

 stairs — Leech Manning rides the little Grey Mare over the 

 Dining-room Table — Gambling and Betting — A Captain who 

 pursued Welshers — Of a Fool and his Folly— A Salt-water 

 Tragedy. 



In the year 1848 or 1849 I was at Banbury attending 

 the Oxford University Steeplechases, and in the evening, 

 after the sport had concluded for the day, an objection 

 was made to a horse that had run on the wrong side of 

 a flag. Angry words were used, and the dispute grew 

 fast and furious, when at last it was agreed to refer the 

 matter to the late Mr. Henry Cooper, a well-known 

 sporting draper in Banbur}^ w^ho, after hearing the 

 dispute, gave his decision, the purport however of which I 

 forget. So exasperating was it to the losing party, chiefly 

 consisting of undergraduates, that they vowed they 

 would never go to Banbury again, and asked me if I 

 would allow them to use the Aylesbury course, which 

 was at that time over my father's farm at Broughton, 

 near Aylesbury. I at once consented, and the next year 

 they came to the old town ; but as there had been a 

 race over a very severe course on the other s*de of the 

 town a few weeks before, the undergraduates determined 



