Mr. Digby Collins 



water — ^her rider being dragged out with much difficulty. 

 How the mare was brought to the bank I never heard ; 

 but as soon as she was secured by her attendant, another 

 unlucky horseman ventured to have a leg-up — expressing the 

 opinion that the mare would never face the water again ! 



However, an exact repetition of the former exploit demon- 

 strated the falsity of his conclusion. 



Oddly enough, while these sportive entertainments were 

 constituting the *' fun of the fair," I was standing in the next 

 field, in the company of William Weston — the trusted buyer 

 for Joseph Anderson, John Darby, and Seward ; and as we 

 watched the crowd rushing to the water, we concluded that 

 there was a fracas, and that some one was being treated as 

 welshers were wont to be at the race meetings on the banks of 

 the Thames adjoining the Great Western Railway station at 

 Reading ; and it was not until three or four years afterwards 

 that I was informed that my celebrated mare, Express, was the 

 heroine of these adventures ! 



Within a week after the fair, I went, as usual, through the 

 stables of Joe Parish, who was the largest buyer of Irish colts 

 of that time, and, when at home — which was very seldom — 

 carried on business at Handsworth, near Birmingham. 



I selected two or three colts, and walked through his long 

 stable, in which was standing an exceptionally good-looking 

 blood mare. 



I inquired what he knew about her, and where he bought 

 her; but the only answer that I was able to wring from him 

 was, " Oh ! she came home with the rest." Then, after a 

 pause, he said significantly, "She is no use to me. You can 

 take her — money and all — with the colts. I won't ask you a 

 shilling for her. Take her home and give me what you like, 

 when you know what she is worth." I naturally asked whether 



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