REMARKABLE RACING DREAMS 375 



" Because it's come to me in my sleep," he answered. 



She had the courage to follow his advice, and, though he 

 was under the turf before the event came off, she made a 

 nice little sum to console her widowhood and give her a 

 good chance for another husband. 



The triple dream I have just mentioned had a parallel 

 some years previously. A man named Coakley, a chemist 

 and druggist at Stockbridge, one night in the spring of 

 1846 dreamed that he saw Pyrrus the First win the Derby. 

 He was not a betting man, so he could not understand 

 what had put the horse into his head ; he was still more 

 puzzled when he dreamed the same thing the following 

 night ; he was yet more astounded when it returned on the 

 third. Being acquainted with John Day, who, as every- 

 body knows, lived in the neighbourhood, he told him about 

 this curious vision of the night, " I should back him," was 

 the worthy trainer's advice ; the chemist very wisely took 

 it, and made more by that tip in a day than he could have 

 done by pills in a year. 



For my next anecdote I must go as far back as 1839. 

 A provincial actor named Freeman, very well known in his 

 time, while performing in some country town had his 

 benefit fixed for the Derby night. In those days of small 

 salaries the benefit was the actor's main dependence to 

 clear off debts, stock him with clothes, and prepare him 

 for his next engagement, and the choice of a piece likely 

 to prove the most attractive was a matter requiring the 

 most careful attention, and a source of much anxiety. 

 Mr Freeman, on the present occasion, found the task so 

 difficult, and was so worried by conflicting ideas, that he 

 was almost ill. One night his wife awoke him with, "Jim, 

 did you hear that ? " 



" No," he said ; " what ? " 



" I heard a voice say, quite distinctly, that if you put up 

 the Flying Dutchman for your benefit you'll have the 

 biggest house of the season." 



" Good Lord ! " cried Freeman, " I never thought of that 

 piece ; and that is the name of the Derby favourite. A 

 splendid idea ! I'll do it ; if the horse were to win it would 

 fill the house." 



