SIR JOSEPH— A RETROSPECT 63 



his family. This same kindly consideration he dis- 

 played in a multitude of ways, both in and out of 

 business. His first inquiry when he visited Cannon 

 Heath or Kingsclere, and he was a frequent and 

 informal visitor, was not after the horses, but the 

 health of Mrs. Porter and the children. He was 

 a splendid sportsman of the true Corinthian order, 

 and, winner or loser, was equally imperturbable. In 

 Bedminster's year he and his brother called at Tad- 

 worth on their way to the course. They found 

 Porter in the stable with Bedminster's legs in the 

 fomenting pail. The Baronet made no inquiries 

 about the horse — what he saw was sufficient — but 

 asked after Wells. Porter told him that the jockey 

 was in bed with a hot tile on his stomach ; he was 

 suffering from cramp. Sir Joseph humorously re- 

 marked that his prospects of winning the Derby 

 looked particularly bright and rosy, seeing that his 

 horse had no legs under him and the jockey was 

 sick. 'However,' he added, 'never mind. Let us 

 have lunch.' Accordingly a table was improvised in 

 the stable, the cloth spread, certain baskets unpacked, 

 and a luncheon heartily discussed. The alliance 

 between owner and trainer in the case of the Baronet 

 and his trainer was indeed complete. The latter 

 thought and wrought for him early and late, far more 

 than he would have done for himself, because he 

 felt that it was impossible to do too much for an 

 employer who never for a moment questioned or 

 doubted the policy or wisdom of a single thing he 

 did. They would argue matters over of course, but 



