Backing Horses 



wages on Saturday night are infinitely more 

 satisfactory. We can learn little or nothing 

 about race-horses by simply watching them as 

 they walk in listless fashion round a paddock. 

 We may gaze at them for years, if we have a 

 sort of season ticket for that period, and remain 

 as ignorant (when the ticket is run out) as we 

 were when we began the absurd inquisition. 



Referring to such people, a compatriot said : 

 " They might as well attempt to describe houses 

 without an elementary knowledge of architec- 

 ture. They could do so, of course, as many 

 do in various ways, and their excursus would 

 not be of the slightest use to a jerry -builder. 

 Horses written about by asses! — what are the 

 cash receipts likely to be?" 



It was not for me to say. I have now re- 

 lieved the burden from my own chest, and cannot 

 interfere with other folks' bronchial troubles. 

 Yet, veritably, when my virtuous neighbours, 

 fair and otherwise — that is, fairish — now ask for 

 my advice about betting, my answer still is : 

 " Better not." If they are very fair I whisper it 

 into their ear, and no doubt it goes out on the 

 other side. 



165 



