112 SPORTING REMINISCENCES 



with a shifty eye. Distinctly overtrained, but a 

 bloodUke-looking animal with great scope about 

 her. 



She was the daughter of a celebrated old racing 

 mare bought for a song as not in foal, but proving 

 to be, and the farmer had brought up the progeny 

 with pride. 



His only fears were for the rider, a lanky youth 

 with an eye as restless as the mare's, and clearly 

 nervous. 



To overcome this his friends plied him with a 

 nerve settler. The contents of a bottle of the 

 syrupy brandied stuff called * port wine ' by the 

 grocers. 



He had asked for it, saying that it " stheadied 

 him " better than any thin' else. If he got strong 

 drink it was ridin' mad he would be. A broth of 

 a boy Uke himself. 



His looks were a blend of fright and bravado, 

 when he staggered across the paddock, was given 

 a leg up on to a small saddle, and " directed to 

 perch forward to aise her." We watched the 

 saddling. 



" Let ye rise her at the big leps, Timsy," com- 

 manded the owner. "An' howld her on the flat 

 with an odd paste of the sthick, for she has a touch 

 of sourness in her. But rise her, let ye rise at the 

 regulation." 



Timsy merely observed thickly that he was the 

 dam fool to be above on her at all, commenced 



