270 REMINISCENCES OF SONEPORE. 



admired; her enunciation was so perfect that even in a shamiana 

 every word was distinctly audible. The last night's ball was 

 as enjoyable as its predecessors and the usual pretty speeches 

 were made at supper. At a meeting of the Stewards held on 

 Saturday it was unanimously agreed that the ball-room should 

 be enlarged, a smoking-room built, the verandah railings facing 

 the race course be removed, and steps be made like those at 

 the Calcutta monsoon race stand ; to serve to give more room 

 in the ladies' part of the stand, and with a light awning over 

 them be useful to lounge on in the intervals between dancing. 

 The polo ground was also to be raised, ball-room furniture 

 bought and several other improvements made. The show of 

 horses and ponies at the fair was so poor that the judges, 

 Messrs. Gunn, Abbott and Slack, advised Government that as 

 the district is essentially not a horse-breeding one they might 

 as well drop giving prizes. 



CHAPTER XLI. 



YEAR 1895. 



The cold weather of '95-96 was the last racing season that 

 Bill Beresford was to spend in India, but the Calcutta sports- 

 men gave him a splendid farewell dinner at which his school 

 fellow and chum Charley Moore said all the pretty things 

 necessary about one who had for twenty years been a staunch 

 promoter of sport. The ladies of the Calcutta hunt also dined 

 him well, and he himself gave a big spread at the Bengal Club 

 to a number of friends, at which some forty sat down. It was a 

 most representative dinner as members of almost every profes- 

 sion were present. Amongst the guests were ; Sir John Lambert, 

 General Collen, Mr. Willie Holmes, Mr. Hensman (The 

 Pioneer^ Sir Thoby Prinsep, Mr. J.O'B. Saunders (The 

 Englishman), Mr. H. E. Abbott (The Indian Planters' Ga- 

 isete} y Mr. F. W. Baker, I.C.S., Captains Grimston and Pollen, 

 Mr. D. Yule, Mr. D. King, Colonel J. Hunt, The Hon'ble 



