156 " MY KINGDOM FOR A HORSE ! " 



show how it was that hunting prevented me from going 

 on with rowing. You cannot do both, and hunting was 

 first choice. 



It has already been shown in the Prologue how in that 

 first term I neglected to put my name down for Smalls 

 and went to Birmingham Dog Show instead, and in the 

 rest of the letter making that announcement it would 

 seem that the demand for dogs was brisk. The date 

 is 5th December 1870 : 



I have had several applications for dogs, and I think some 

 must turn out purchasers. Tartar is going to be sent to Antwerp 

 after all. I sent them one dog which I picked up for 5, IDS. 

 and got 5 for it money down. They now want Tartar. May 

 he be happy ! . . . We could have won easily at Birmingham 

 with the setter that died, as the class she would have been in was 

 the poorest I have ever seen though the other classes of Gordon 

 setters were very good. 



This first term was not spent in a manner likely to find 

 favour with the Balliol dons, and in the next summer term, 

 on 22nd May 1871, 1 wrote ; 



I am afraid I shall not be able to get to the wedding, as " Jowler " 

 steadily sets his face against it. He would have let anyone else 

 go, but not me. ... Tell Lizzie she will receive a multitude 

 of salt cellars from me. 



The above extract is interesting, as the wedding referred 

 to was that of Robert Colling, of Hurworth, with the second 

 daughter of Mr Scott, the Coxwold vicar it appears 

 the "salt cellars" were changed for dessert knives and 

 forks, and I did, in point of fact, attend the wedding. Bob 

 Colling, so well known now as a successful trainer and 

 good all-round sportsman, was the first child of that 

 marriage. 



The importance I attached to the wedding of his father 

 and mother may be inferred from the care taken in selecting 

 my present. A letter, written a few days after the one 

 quoted above, says : 



