84 FAMOUS RACma MEN. 



anecdote is told in connexion with this passion of Sir Tatton's. At 

 Catterick Races, on one occasion, Mr. Baker, of Elemore, was beaten 

 by Sir Tatton Sykes for a Hunters' Stake, owners up; as the baronet 

 passed the Stand an easy winner, he gallantly raised his whip to the 

 ladies — a simple act which Mr. Baker absurdly construed into an ex- 

 pression of triumph over himself, and resolved to be avenged upon 

 the insolent victor. Accordingly at Mr. Robert ColUngs's great sheep 

 sale, Mr. Baker made matters very hot for Sir Tatton by bidding up 

 for every lot which he knew the baronet was anxious to purchase, and 

 in this way the shearling, Ajax, on whom Sir Tatton had set his 

 heart, was run up to 156 guineas. 



It will be gathered from what we have already said that Sir 

 Tatton was a man of great hardihood and of frugal habits. It 

 was his custom all his Hfe to be up with the lark in the summer 

 and long before sunrise in the winter. His favourite breakfast 

 was an apple tart and a hearty draught of new milk, and after 

 he had partaken of that humble meal he has been often known to 

 relieve a stonebreaker at his work by the rbadside, and keep himself 

 warm by breaking stones until the man, who had been sent to the 

 manor house, to be served with a pint of home-brewed and a crust 

 of bread, returned. A great deal of healthy exercise, on horse-back 

 or on foot, always intervened between Sir Tatton's early break- 

 fast and his luncheon. The latter meal was most often a crust of 

 brown bread, Yorkshhe cream cheese — of which he was very fond 

 — and a pint of the Sledmere home-brewed. He had an enormous 

 faith in a flagon of good ale, like the late George Borrow. His 

 brewage was famous not only over the county of York, but through- 

 out the north of England, and it was dispensed with a liberal 

 hand. No one — even the poorest beggar — was ever known to 

 leave that hospitable roof without at least a substantial " crust " 

 and a pint of that " generous malt." In physique Sir Tatton was a 

 splendid specimen of a stalwart Englishman. He stood quite six 

 feet in height, and though he never in his prime, we believe, exceeded 

 list., was very muscular, and as a boxer was renowned for his terri- 

 fically hard hitting. Indeed, neither " Gentleman " Jackson nor 

 Jem Belcher ever had an apter or more formidable pupil. In proof 

 of which we may adduce the following anecdote. Once, when Sh 

 Tatton was out upon one of his sheep-buying expeditions, he ordered 

 "a pitcher of ale " at the bar of an inn. There were a couple of huge 

 truculent drovers lounging in the tap-room, and one of these ruffians 

 coolly took up the ale and drank it. Sir Tatton said not a word, but 

 in his mild, quiet voice ordered another draught, whereupon the 

 second drover, with a brutal laugh, laid hands on it and tossed it off. 

 A third supply was handed to the baronet, and when he had quaffed 

 it, he quietly buttoned up his coat, told ruffian number one to stand 

 up, thrashed him to his heart's content, and then, turning round to 

 number two, who was somewhat amazed, but even more enraged at 

 the discomfiture of his comrade, served him in precisely the same 



