34 STEEPLECHASING 



And much more to the same effect. 



Coleman certainly carried his joking to the utmost 

 limits, as the following story, in addition to other in- 

 stances, will show. 



Amonsr other reofular visitors to the "Turf Hotel" 

 was a young noodle named Kirwan, who was spending 

 his money as fast as he could. 



One evening he made a match with Anderson, the 

 singer, to shoot pigeons for a large sum. The vocalist 

 was a pigeon shot of phenomenal excellence, against 

 whom Kirwan would not, in ordinary circumstances, 

 have had a ghost of a chance. Anderson, however, 

 had a mighty quick temper, upon which Coleman 

 resolved to play. While they were all sauntering down 

 to the field in which the match was to take place, 

 Coleman be^an : — 



'O 



" Jack, there is a man here who wants to bet ^lo that you go mad 

 in a twelvemonth." 



A. " What does he say ? " 



C. " He says he will bet that you are shut up in a mad-house in 

 a twelvemonth. Shall I take him?" 



A. " What does the fellow mean ? " 



C. '• He's a phrenologist and sees something about your head. 

 That's him '' — pointing to a young man, the son of a schoolmaster in 

 the town. 



Anderson dashed down his hat, and making for the young man 

 bawled as loud as ever he could, " Where are the bumps, you sweep ? 

 Where are the bumps ? " The spectators flocked round the two men 

 and not unnaturally came to the conclusion that Anderson was mad, for 

 he had worked himself up into such a towering passion that he did not 

 know what he was saying. 



Coleman's object was attained, however, for.Anderson 

 was so terribly upset by the episode that he could 

 not shoot up to anything like his form, and so Kirwan 

 won. They did some queer things in the "palmy " days 

 of sport ! 



In the summer of 1833 the prize fight took place 



