COURSING 



ning, as both got unsighted before they had been 

 long at it, and then Requiem went on with the 

 hare by herself, and had such a severe single-hander, 

 that the hearts of her backers die within them, and 

 any hopes of pulling off 33 to 1 become a vanishing 

 fraction. Then every eye is on Lobelia^ as this 

 rare granddaughter of Canaradzo comes out bright 

 and beautiful, and not one mass of diachyplon plaster 

 as she was last year. She hung in the sHps a Httle, 

 and then she warmed up and raced past Exactly in 

 the brilliant style of her Trovatore days, and made 

 a masterly kill. The Lancashire men may well 

 shout for her after such a performance, and wish 

 her well through the Gup. Now the drain jumping 

 begins, and sorely tests the limbs that are stiff with 

 ** age's frost." Some bound over them in their stride 

 like antelopes, or use the comfortable pole ; others 

 go at them with faces indicative of resignation and 

 agony combined, and if a foot slips there is a roar 

 like a salvo of artillery down the line. Occasionally 

 a stout gentleman determines, rather than be left 

 behind, to jump or perish in the attempt. He is 

 gravely advised by some athlete to **pull himself 

 together," whatever that process may be; he balances 

 his arms, rushes, regardless of family considerations, 

 at his works, funks, towers, is deposited with a 

 splash, and ignominiously crawls out up the opposite 

 bank. What comfort is it to him to be told to **put 

 on more powder " when all is over, and he is wet 



59 



