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of fun. Lord Milsington was there (him as married 

 the Duke of Ancaster's daughter), and the gentle- 

 men would match us. I vras to ride a pony ; so I 

 gets niggling before him at the start, and he called 

 me back, so angry. How the gentlemen did laugh, 

 to be sure ! It was only half a mile : away I jumps, 

 and he never catched me it wouldn't be more than 

 half a length at last. What a deal they made of me ! 

 they carried me into the tent, and gave me three 

 glasses of wine and a fine mounted whip. They had 

 a deal more fun than that with me. When I had 

 beat Lord Milsington, the late Lord Winchilsea 

 made a match with Captain Bligh, for me to ride a 

 donkey and he to run afoot half a mile. Such fun 

 you never saw in your life ! But my word, I beat 

 him at last, and they gave me my first gold guinea. 

 Captain Bligh, he was a first-rate runner and 

 cricketer. 



After this ere racing concern, Sir Gilbert Heath- 

 cote sent his huntsman, Abbey, for me to go over to 

 Norinanton Park. Stevenson went with me, and 

 Sir Gilbert and his lady (she was very kind to me, 

 bless her !) came out to us. My lady quite laughed. 

 " That little thing for a riding groom !" she said ; 

 " he can't sit on a horse." " Try him, my lady/* 

 said Stevenson (you see, he always spoke up for me) ; 

 " give him one saddled and one to lead." Up I gets 

 with the two, and off across the park, and galloped 

 them till Sir Gilbert holloas me to stop. Didn't I 

 take it out of them ! " He'll do/' they said ; " he 

 can hold anything." So they gave me six guineas a 

 year, and all my clothes, lots of them, and half-a- 

 guinea board when they were out. I always rode out 

 with my lady in a blue coat and striped waistcoat. 

 The first race Sir Gilbert ever had a horse in I rode 

 at Lincoln; and I won it too. His colour was scarlet 

 and black cap then ; I don't know about this 

 " French grey." There were ten of us ran. He gave 



