CHAPTER VI 



MR. GUBBINS AND HIS IRISH DERBY 



It may be that the misconduct of Irish Nationalists 



caused Mr. Gubbins to devote his attention more 



entirely to racing than he had done prior to the 



year 1893. 



Up to that time he was Master of the Limerick 



Hunt, but had most reluctantly to give it up, owing 



« ^ ,v. to the boycotting. He was not abso- 

 Mr. Gubbms -^ ° 



boycotted to lutely decided until one day, when 

 Beckhampton , -.i ,i i i i • r 



out With the hounds and moving for 



cover, when they were met by a large party of 



hooligans, who started throwing sticks and stones at 



the hounds, scattering them in all directions. Mr. 



Gubbins then said : 



" For God's sake leave the hounds alone ; I'd 

 rather you threw your stones at me ! " And that 

 day he took the hounds home and never hunted 

 again, though a very short time afterwards the 

 priests implored him to do so, as so many were out 

 of employment through the dispersal of the hunt. 



Mr. Gubbins shortly afterwards asked me to 



39 



