AND TIMES OF JOHN OSBORNE 355 



American-bred horse, who had won the Northumberland 

 Plate the week before. 



If for nothing else, the Elemore Stakes, run at 

 Durham on 20th July, 1885, will long be remembered 

 for an accident which befel our hero. The runners were 

 Mr. Vyner's Kiss Not, Lord Durham's Borderer, and 

 Mr. Gladstone's filly by Blair Athol, out of Ambulance. 

 Kiss Not had had a maiden allowance of 5 lbs., and 

 was a strong favourite, ultimately winning cleverly from 

 Borderer. Entering the straight, Osborne, who was 

 riding the Ambulance filly, made his effort, next the 

 rails, to take up a position with the leading pair. The. 

 filly ran bang against the post, the collision sending her 

 spinning, followed by John coming down a terrible 

 cropper. Quite a thrill went through the spectators 

 when they saw the veteran helpless at the feet of the 

 fallen quadruped. The anxiety as to his fate was not 

 lessened when he was seen prostrate on the course. 

 Speedily the sympathising crowd gathered round, and 

 three medical men were on the spot a few seconds after 

 the accident. Osborne was unable to speak, and much 

 shaken. With creditable promptness the police had a 

 stretcher on the spot, but the arrival of Lord Durham's 

 'bus led the doctors to adopt the latter mode of con- 

 veyance for the sufferer. Osborne was carefully laid 

 in the bottom of the carriage, with Mr. N. Stephenson 

 and the three medical men as the other occupants, and 

 conveyed to the Three Tuns Hotel. The deepest 

 sympathy was expressed all round for him, and the 

 effects of the accident, as he related himself, did not 

 pass away till months afterwards. 



Our hero now tells the tale of his hairbreadth 

 escapes in his own simple, vivid manner. That he has 



