110 THE WARWICKSHIRE HOUNDS. 



Mr. Barnard, across country and on the road. Sir William offered 



* a bet of £500 that he would ride from Leamington to 



London before eight o'clock the next morning. The 

 bet was accepted and at five minutes before eleven, 

 without making any alteration in his dress, 

 he was mounted on a grey horse belonging to Mr. 

 Mytton and was on the road. The grey carried him 

 gallantly fifty-five miles. A poster was then procured 

 with some difficulty and went about twenty] miles. 

 This was succeeded by a pony, on which he continued 

 and completed his match, arriving at the Burlington 

 Hotel, Piccadilly, at half-past seven on the following 

 morning. The match was performed in evening dress 

 in the middle of a February night and on a road with 

 which he was not acquainted. The actual distance 

 was 97 miles and included eighteen toll-gates. It may 

 fairly rank with anything of the kind on record. 

 Sir W. Don. Sir William Don, of Newton Don, Bart., belonged to 



an old Scottish family, and was known as the 

 "eccentric baronet." He was considerably over six 

 feet in height, and his sporting proclivities having 

 proved too much for his purse, he took to the stage, 

 and was a very popular actor. At the Antipodes he 

 ' was an immense success. He was a clever and versa- 

 tile comedian, and one of his parts was, I speak from 

 memory. Cousin Joe in " The Bough Diamond." He 

 afterwards married Miss Emily Sanders, a well-known 

 actress, and Sir William and Lady Don were favourites 

 in their day all over the country. He died a good 

 many years ago, and the title was taken by Sir J. 

 Wauchope, now Sir J. Don Wauchope. 



