4 o KINGSCLERE 



returned to the room he inquired if Wells had 

 weighed out, and was informed by Mr. Manning, 

 the clerk of the scales, that he had. Porter, to his 

 intense mortification and disgust, was a witness of 

 Wells's second ignominious withdrawal from the 

 scale. The disqualification of Blue Gown cost the 

 owner the round sum of 4,000/. When the crushed 

 and shamefaced Wells presented himself before Sir 

 Joseph Hawley, which, to do the jockey justice, 

 was immediately after the occurrence, the Baronet 

 said, ' I can't talk to you here. Come to me next 

 Monday in town.' Wells's account of the inter- 

 view was brief but graphic. He said to Porter, 

 ■ John, I lost more weight in half an hour than I 

 ever did wasting in all my life.' His punishment 

 took the form of a temporary withdrawal of the 

 Baronet's jacket and cap. Wells did not again wear 

 Sir Joseph Hawley's colours until he carried them 

 on Xi in the match (already referred to) against 

 The Earl (Cannon), which he won, after a brilliant 

 finish, by a head. This was one of the finest races 

 he ever rode. 



During the winter of 1867 and 1868 Rosicru- 

 cian and Green Sleeve were attacked with influenza, 

 a misfortune which was attributed by the trainer 

 to the sweating of the new stables at Kingsclere, 

 whereto they had been prematurely removed. Blue 

 Gown, who stood between the pair, was, however, 

 neither sick nor sorry. As for the influenza, or, indeed, 

 any other malady which was going about, you could 

 not have given it to him if you had tried ; while for 



