15 REMINISCENCES OF SONEPORE. 



Railway line was to be carried right through the course, 

 which would naturally have ruined it; but fortunanely Mr. 

 Levinge, the Engineer in charge, and his attendant satellites, 

 visited the meeting at which Master Harry and his backers 

 did them so well in the eating and drinking line, and Bob 

 Lockhart talked to them so touchingly, that they wept tears of 

 sympathy and declared the railway itself should be abandoned 

 before Sonepore should suffer. They said they considered 

 the Stewards were the best judges of wine in the country, 

 but as Bob pointed out, the perfection of their brands was 

 chiefly due to the fact that Mr. Vesey Westmacott, boss of 

 the country grog-shops, was present ; and he would have 

 fined the Stewards heavily had they given him a bad bottle 

 of the Boy. Thus Sonepore was saved, and the line taken 

 through the elephant's instead of the biped's camp. 



The Chupra officials were all there, but not in one big 

 camp. Mr. Paul, the Collector, a rare good sort, just leaving 

 the District, was by himself, Dr. Russell ditto, and so was 

 the Joint Magistrate. The fair was a big one, the polo ground 

 in great request, and entire harmony prevailed throughout ; 

 none of the crotchety objections that spoilt preceding years 

 marred the good fellowship. The lotteaies on the first night 

 were not very good, but one filled on each race. Three 

 accepted for the Leger The Abbot, Princess and Kangaroo, 

 the first-named a hot favorite. For the Derby, Mooltan, 

 Geraldine, O'Kelly, Lielle, Christmas Carol and Kathleen's 

 two-year-old filly Mavourneen by Echo ; nothing was looked 

 at but O'Kelly. The Behar Stakes had Toots, Devastation, 

 Lady Maude, Northcote and Chancellor, the first three equally 

 fancied ; for the Galloways, Pandora, Glacialine, Chieftain, 

 Mabelle and Kate accepted. Pandora alone was backed 

 heavily. In the morming The Abbot opened the ball for 

 Jaintpore by romping home for the Leger ; and had Green- 

 halgh any idea at first, how good ugly little Mavourneen 



