ACROBAT AND OTHER WINNERS 19 



on him but his bridle, jumped through the partition 

 of the horse-box at Bromsgrove Station into the 

 lad's division, and out on to the platform without 

 a scratch. He afterwards won a race at Kempton 

 Park, ridden by the present Charles Morbey. 

 When I was at Severn Stoke I gave £20 for a mare 

 called Miss Grace, out of a baker's cart ; and 

 after six months, when I had got her strong and 

 well, I was riding and driving her steadily. She 

 carried me really well with the hounds, and I 

 finished up with winning the hurdle race on her 

 at Worcester. I well remember Lord Coventry 

 saying, after the race, that she was the quickest 

 over her hurdles he ever saw in his life. 



I had a most deceptive little black horse, under- 

 bred ; looked more like a cob. He was in a steeple- 

 chase at Moreton-in-the-Marsh, a pretty big country 

 then. He surprised every one by winning easily, 

 and none more than my grandfather, who saw him 

 unloaded at the station, and said : 



" You are not riding that commoner over Moreton 

 course, are you ? " 



" Yes," I said, " and he will jump it." 



" More like break your neck," he answered. 



But he was wrong, good old gentleman. 



