16 ASHGILL; OR, THE LIFE 



John's father and mother, the latter, as he observes, 

 " a Yorkshire woman, born at Brompton-on-Swale, near 

 Catterick"; a Harry Hall, in oils, of Pretender, with 

 John himself up in the Castlemilk "blue and silver" 

 livery, together with capital drawings of Bon Mot and 

 The Doctor, by Black Doctor, recall old-time triumphs 

 of the master of Brecongill, achieved before any present- 

 day jockeys were dreamt of. Apology, the heroine of 

 the most sensational St. Leger on record, naturally 

 occupies a place of honour in the gallery. In regard 

 to this picture the host remarks : 



"I ordered Harry Hall to paint a portrait of the 

 old mare, but he never fulfilled his promise, and I am 

 sorry he did not." 



Such a collection would be incomplete without Lily 

 Agnes, who brought lasting renown to Ashgill in its 

 palmy days. This grand mare has her niche in the 

 company of Dr. Syntax, the sire of Bee's-wing (famed 

 for pith and speed), about whose owner, the kindly 

 squire Wm. Orde, of Nunnykirk, and his eccentric old 

 jockey, Bob Johnson, " The Druid " relates some 

 humorous tales. Other notable pictures, including 

 those of Thorn, Grand Flaneur, Bothwell, Organist, 

 Prince Charlie, and Cathedral, with all of whom, more 

 or less, John was brilliantly identified as a horseman, 

 crowd the walls. A clever miniature of the famed Jim 

 Robinson, in oils, and a representation of the finish 

 between Holy Friar and Camballo are interesting 

 mementoes. Modest to the last, John never mentions 

 the illuminated address presented to him at Newcastle- 

 on-Tyne, a quarter of a century back. This testimonial 

 extolling his virtues is relegated to a dark corner of 

 the room against the light, and only by chance comes 

 under observation. 



