34 SPORTING STORIES 



think the excitement produced by Lord Lyon's victories 

 really gave him his death-blow. At any rate, the first 

 symptoms of his fatal illness showed themselves towards 

 the close of that year. On the Tuesday before the York 

 Meeting of 1868 his stud of twenty-four yearlings was sold, 

 and he appeared at the sale in a bath-chair, but the change 

 in his appearance was appalling. But something of his old 

 gaiety flashed out when he found that his yearlings had 

 fetched ;^28,500, which was four thousand more than he 

 had expected. 



Three months later he passed quietly away, only forty- 

 one years of age, but he had seen more life in those two 

 score years than most men who live to eighty. 



John Jackson won and spent his money like a dashing 

 sportsman ; yet he died rich, for after all his debts were 

 paid there was ^^40,000 left. He had his faults, but he was 

 sound at the core ; and a gallant Englishman lies buried 

 under the turf that covers Jock o' Fairfield. 



