LIFE WITH COLONEL NORTH 267 



that the older man turned blue in the face after running, 

 and I took upon myself to warn him not to run any 

 more races ; but he was not to be warned by anybody, 

 and half-an-hour later, on the lawn where was a band 

 playing and a tent for the dinner of his own guests of 

 whom I was one he seized the stately Mrs Weatherley 

 round the waist and, seeing me standing by, whirled 

 her several times round, shouted, " How's that for The 

 Sportsman ? " and led her speechless with indignation 

 into the tent. Doubtless he made his peace afterwards, 

 for that sort of man always does. 



I have many other stories to tell of Colonel North, 

 and it is perhaps not known that he might have won 

 many great races, for he had some especially good fillies, 

 more particularly Lady Hermit and Bonnie Gal. These 

 were really in the top class of their time, but the old 

 Colonel used to take no notice of training condition or 

 trainers' feelings. If he had a crowd of people whom 

 he wished to amuse he would run them down to New- 

 market by special and insist on a private meeting, all 

 his stable, fit or unfit, taking part in the various contests. 

 Lady Hermit and Bonnie Gal were ruined in this way. 

 The late Robert Sherwood was driven to distraction by 

 this treatment, but it is a pity that he did not get a 

 veterinary surgeon to report that some of the animals 

 must remain in their stables. 



I have often wondered what would have happened to 

 Colonel North had he lived many years longer, for, so 

 far as I know, there never was a more unbusinesslike 

 man, and the enormous new house at Avery Hill was 

 built for him during his absence, with his daughter, in 

 Chile by people to whom he had given an unlimited 

 commission. He tried on his return to contest the 



