232 KINGSCLERE 



enormous. I remember one Sunday afternoon, at 

 Newmarket, the Admiral and Mr. Payne coming to 

 see my horses at Wells's, where they were stabled. 

 He and I came out and received the visitors 

 together. On beholding " the Brusher," who was 

 resplendent in a new suit of clothes of extremely 

 fashionable cut, but not over-quiet in colour, Mr. 

 Payne exclaimed, " What a swell you are, Wells ! 

 W T ho is your tailor ? " Wells replied, " A very 

 good sort of tailor, sir ; he finds me in clothes for 

 nothing. You see, sir, being such a good figure, I 

 am a walking advertisement for him." No wonder 

 his dress provoked remark. He once rode Blue 

 Gown in a walk over at Newmarket garbed in a 

 suit of extremely pronounced tartan " dittoes," wear- 

 ing a Tyrolese hat adorned with a tall curly feather, 

 and carrying a cane like a billiard cue. One of Sir 

 Joseph Hawley's friends remonstrated with him for 

 allowing such a grotesque exhibition, whereupon 

 the Baronet replied that his jockey was at liberty to 

 dress just as he pleased. Wells was engaged by 

 him to ride, and as long as he did that to his satis- 

 faction the contract was fulfilled. Some time in the 

 latter part of 1869 Sir Joseph came to Kingsclere 

 to see a trial, when he told us — Wells and myself — 

 that he had made a match with Blue Gown and 

 Friponnier over the Ditch Mile, even weights, for 

 500. The Baronet asked me if I would stand 

 any of it, and I said I should like to have a 

 pony with him. But he said, you had better have 

 a hundred, as it is a good thing. I agreed. He 



