1 30 Saddle and Sirloin. 



well, that Mr. Atkinson's earliest recollection was see- 

 ing him come, and " off horseback and at the bull with 

 his scissors," to get his curly frontlet into perfect trim 

 for the judges/* 



It is many years since we saw Newcastle races, and 

 our recollections are not with Underhand or Caller Ou 

 words hard for Northumbrian lips nor yet with 

 Dr. Syntax or Gallopade. They go back to an in- 

 termediate period, when " Slashing Harry collared 

 Henriade," when Beeswing beat Black Diamond, when 

 Harry Edwards by a mighty effort shoved "Lazy 

 Lanercost's" head in front of the Hydra's, and when a 

 Yorkshireman was so cleaned out by Naworth's defeat, 

 that he put up his slippers for sale in the coffee-room 

 at the Queen's Head that night. We remember, too, 

 the grief which fell like a pall on the Moor when 

 Lanercost, with Calypso handy, beat Beeswing on the 

 post through the deep ground for the Cup, and how 

 every tongue was loosened when she paid off him and 

 his corns next year in the dry. We like to recall that 

 time and all its actors dark-eyed " Sim " in his hey- 

 day ; Job Marson, a young fellow of five-and-twenty, 

 just earning his spurs on Charles XII. ; Mr. Ramsay 

 at Lanercost's head, as Noble saddled him, and listen- 

 ing to the pale enthusiast from the Bush Inn, Car- 

 lisle, who was taking up his parable ; and old Bob 

 Johnson, in his long black coat, drab breeches, and 

 gaiters among the glasses and decanters (like Baron 

 Nathan among the eggs at Rosherville), retreating 

 suddenly ere he stammered out a sentence before 

 the coat-tail pull of the Squire of Nunnykirk, who 



* In later years the Atkinsons bred from Col. Towneley's stock. 

 and had several of the Beauty tribe which the Colonel got from Mr. 

 Bannerman, and he from Mr. John Booth. They used Abraham Parker 

 and " Dick" (who did a great deal for them), and when they began to 

 go in more for BooJh, they had Prince Patrick, a pure Booth bull, from 

 Mr. Grove Wood, of Ireland, and hired Manfred from Mr. Thomas 

 Booth, 



