CHASING AND RACING 7 



old god-father. Canon Harding Girdlestone, at 

 Gloucester. His son, Theophilus, and I used to 

 wander about exploring Nature, and sampling her gifts. 

 One day we happened on the confines of the race- 

 course during the progress of a meeting, and having 

 mounted a high bank, we had an excellent view of the 

 proceedings, as far as the back-stretch was concerned ; 

 though the stands and winning post were remote from 

 our eyes. But my blood was fired. I did not know 

 the names of the horses, nor of the jockeys, nor whose 

 colours they wore ; but I waxed excited as the fields 

 swept by — the riders shouting and cursing, and the 

 dust flying ! '* Theo '* was bored to tears, but I was 

 spell-bound. Only once when I was "up'' at 

 Cambridge did I attend a race-meeting, cap-a-pie — my 

 first experience. This was a jump affair at Aylesbury, 

 whither I had been escorted by some of my more 

 sporting Varsity pals. My impressions of this ad- 

 venture are somewhat vague. The " sticks " and 

 ** flags " never appealed to me as did, and do, flat- 

 racing ; but I remember on this occasion being 

 relieved of my silver watch, which, strange to say, 

 illustrates an incident that stands alone. Despite my 

 long experience of race-courses of all sorts and sizes 

 this was the only occasion on which my person or 

 my property has been interfered with. 



A propos. This may be counted an opportunity 

 for the interpolation of a couple of yarns, which may 

 perhaps be accorded a leaven of humour. 



