THE TRAINER'S ILLNESS 25 



Cannon Heath Downs afforded. He said it was 

 beyond everything pleasant and exhilarating to be 

 able to ride freely about, and have your horse tried 

 upon those delightful downs. When the trial was 

 over, and Bedminster had collapsed, hopelessly 

 lame, Sir Joseph drily observed, ■ Well, Annesley, 

 what do you think of the scenery now ? ' 



The trainer himself broke down badly the same 

 year, at Doncaster, under a severe attack of typhoid 

 fever. He, however, was fortunate enough to fall 

 into the hands of an excellent physician, and was 

 carefully nursed. Thanks to the skill and care of 

 Dr. Schofield, Porter made a good recovery, although 

 it was Christmas before that was complete and he 

 was again about his business. Among the many 

 acts of thoughtful and even tender kindness on the 

 part of Sir Joseph Hawley which Porter recalls is 

 a circumstance which occurred at Doncaster during 

 the earliest stage of the illness in question. The 

 patient was lying motionless in bed, with his eyes 

 closed and apparently asleep, when Sir Joseph 

 entered the room. The sufferer was quite conscious 

 of what was going on ; he could hear distinctly, and 

 through his half-closed eyelids discern objects clearly 

 enough, albeit he was unable to move or utter a 

 word. Sir Joseph, evidently persuaded that the sick 

 man was sleeping, paced gently up and down at the 

 foot of the bed, and muttered to himself as he passed, 

 ' I wonder if he has any money with him ? ' With 

 these words he emptied his note-case, and laid the 

 contents upon the bed. Then, no doubt recollecting 



