FROM 'HOUSE' TO VILLAGE 293 



owner made a clean breast of it, he would admit that 

 they are not his favourite works of art ; while an in- 

 spection of the walls of dining-room, drawing-room, 

 and of other apartments would show how sound and 

 varied the art tastes of the possessor are. Amongst 

 marks of esteem is a fine example of the silver- 

 smith's craft occupying a prominent place on the 

 sideboard. It was presented by Sir Charles 

 Russell (now Lord Russell of Killowen) to his friend 

 John Porter. There are many other memorable 

 sideboard ornaments, but with the exception of that 

 just named they all yield in interest to the hoof of 

 Blue Gown. That famous horse died at sea. It was 

 a thoughtful and gracious act on the part of the 

 captain of the ship to have one of the horse's hoofs 

 removed for personal presentation to his old trainer, 

 and an act that the recipient of the relic greatly 

 appreciated. 1 One of Rosicrucian's and one of 

 Isonomy's hoofs also adorn the sideboard. 



As we go forth from Park House to the village, 

 having, it may be, passed the buttery hatch and 

 made ourselves acquainted with a certain tap of 

 marvellous old ale, we cannot fail to observe how in- 

 timately the fortunes of Kingsclere town are inter- 

 twined with the Kingsclere training establishment. 

 Say it is the shortest day. A troop of women are 

 approaching to receive their annual dole. There is 

 a tradition to the effect that on one occasion a 



1 Blue Gown died on his passage to America in 1 880-81, and 

 Kingcraft, another Derby winner, died while making the same passage 

 in 1886. 



