HUMOURS OF TOMMY COLEMAN 101 



nearly broke my neck," roared the Squire. " I thought 

 you were a horseman," answered Tommy, not a bit abashed. 

 " I've got a little boy at home that can ride him in a 

 snaffle bridle," It is perhaps unnecessary to add that it 

 was many a long day before the Squire was friendly with 

 Mr Coleman again. 



Another time, Tommy had backed a rich young fellow 

 — a patron of his — at a pigeon match against Josh 

 Anderson the singer. Josh was a crack shot ; the other 

 had scarcely a chance against him. Tommy knew this 

 well enough, and resorted to an artful dodge to give his 

 man the victory. Josh had a terribly irritable temper, and 

 the slightest thing would set him in a blaze. Just before 

 the match commenced Tommy went up and said, " I say, 

 Josh, there's a chap offered to bet me you'll go mad in a 

 year. Shall I take him ? " " What the devil does he 

 mean ? " cried Josh, getting hot in a moment. " Well, he's 

 a phrenologist, and says he can tell by your bumps ; there 

 he is, you go and ask him," and he pointed to a quiet- 

 looking young fellow, a farmer's son. Before Tommy had 

 done speaking, Josh was demanding of the astonished 

 rustic, " What have you to say about my bumps, you 



d d sweep ? " and stripping off his coat to " bump " him. 



An explanation ensued ; but the explosion of temper had 

 spoiled Josh's hand for shooting, and the other won the 

 match. 



It was from Tommy Coleman I had the following two 

 stories, which I do not profess, however, to be able to give 

 in his own racy words : — 



In the twenties a well-known figure on all the Southern 

 race-courses was a notorious individual named Bill Cauty, 

 who, although he betted with the "nobs," was considered 

 to be the king of the pickpockets. If anyone he knew had 

 his watch stolen, Bill would undertake to get it back for 

 him. On one occasion the famous Samuel George Ford, 

 the great financier before Padwick came out, took ;^7000 

 in his pocket-book to Ascot, which sum he had promised 

 to lend Mr Massey Stanley. He offered it to him before 

 the races began ; but the other, being much engaged, asked 

 Ford to keep it for him until the race was over. Ford had 



