46 REMINISCENCES OF SONEPORE. 



I should have been able to do so," was the quiet reply. But 

 the arrogance of the Laird was too much for Paddy Hudson, 

 who was standing by, and he blurted out, " Til bet you a gold 

 mohur McLeod, no one else here will ride Bob round the course, 

 Til bet you five gold mohurs no one will gallop him round the 

 course, and I'll bet you twenty gold mohurs you won't walk 

 that horse round the course." The great man shut up instanter 

 and walked off considerably riled. Dozens of tales could 

 be told of Paddy's trite sayings ; who that heard it, will ever 

 forget the way he, years after this, chaffed Stanley Collier, the 

 Civilian, at one of the balls. Collier had just come up 

 to Behar for the first time, as Joint Magistrate of 

 Mozufferpore, and even then, gave strangers the idea that he 

 fancied himself immensely, and in dancing he held his head 

 very stiffly, and with nose high in the air was careering round, 

 absolutely ignorant of the intense delight with which his 

 gyrations were watched by a lot of wall iflowers, of whom 

 Paddy was one. Unfortunately he pulled up just by the 

 irrepressible Irishman, who marched up to him and said," I 

 say Martingale." "My name is Collier, Sir, not Martingale," 

 was the indignant rejoiner. "Is it indeed, but you badly 

 want a Martingale all the same" was the unabashed reply. Of 

 course everyone exploded with laughter, and Collier speechless 

 with rage stalked indignantly away. Collier meant well, though, 

 and his manner was almost entirely due to shyness. The 

 Sonepore mute conjuror, had Paddy beautifully once. At the 

 races he came up to Paddy, and motioned to him that h e 

 wanted to know the time, Paddy, put his hand to his pocket to 

 pull out his watch, but found it non est. " By jove, I had it all 

 right a couple of minutes ago," he exclaimed. The conjuror 

 pointed to Paddy's tent, off ran Paddy, and found watch 

 and chain reposing on his dressing table. 



