232 REMINISCENCES OF SONEPORE. 



dispersed. At the last supper, in response to Harry's bidding, 

 absent Jimmy's health was drunk with Highland honors. Mr. 

 Forbes proposed the Secretary's health, saying there were few 

 Secretaries who could say like theirs, that he had seen the 

 mothers of several of those present wooed and won at Sone- 

 pore twenty or more years before. The Queen's boys carried 

 Harry round the room and nearly spilt him a dozen times. 

 As a memento of an enjoyable meeting the Stewards presented 

 him with a very handsome piece of plate. Young Morshead, 

 the Hajeepore Magistrate, met with a nasty accident while 

 riding in the gymkhana ; trying to break gylas he ran a pointed 

 bamboo into his leg, just missing the femoral artery, but he 

 was amply consoled for his accident, for he got engaged 

 during the meeting to Miss Hill, daughter of the best and 

 bravest planter Lower Bengal ever boasted of, Archie Hills, 

 now alas gathered to his fathers. 



CHAPTER XXXIX. 



YEAR 1893. 



Chupra sustained a regrettable loss when Jim Bourdillon, 

 who had done so much for volunteering and cricket, as well as 

 Sonepore, was transferred to the Board of Revenue early in 1893, 

 the more so as his successor and schoolfellow, George Manisty, 

 though a good fellow, knew nothing of racing, and was not, like 

 his predecessor, in touch with the entire Behar community. 

 Hamilton Gordon, the popular and hospitable Judge, had been 

 replaced by Mr. Kelleher, a complete recluse, so a funeral 

 pal seemed to have fallen over a station, which only a year 

 before was famous for its hospitality and conviviality. The 

 Sonepore racing programme, however, appeared with commend- 

 able punctuality, Mr. Manisty replacing Mr. Bourdillon on 

 the Stewards' list, while . Colonel St. Paul and Mr. George 

 Paget of the Rifle Brigade were welcome additions. The 



