AND OTHER SKETCHES 155 



be allowed to see the names of the horses that were going 

 to start in the next race. Glancing over the card she 

 spoke out quite loud enough for us to hear. Turning to 

 her companion she said: ''Why, Julia, here is one we 

 should have a bet on. It's name is Balbriggan. All the 

 girls know all about that useful article. ' ' The gentleman 

 turned round and said : ' ' Well, girls, do you want me to 

 back Balbriggan, because if you do, here is my pile," 

 drawing from his vest pocket three silver dollars. The 

 ladies urged him to bet. The commissioner, a shrewd 

 lad, said: "Well, sir, there is only 100 to 1 on my card on 

 that horse, but they tell me there is 400 and 500 to 1 

 against that one in the ring. If you like I will go down 

 and get the best odds I can." The parties assented, and 

 the boy went away and brought back a ticket bearing on 

 its face the figures "$1,200 to $3." The mare in question 

 belonged to Mr. O'Brien, a son of the late Senator 

 O'Brien, then a prominent broker in Montreal, well 

 known to myself and the two friends by my side, and I 

 was well acquainted with the trainer, Jonathan Scott. I, 

 however, had not met him the day before, or on race day, 

 therefore had no opportunity of hearing his opinion of 

 said mare; and we decided to remain there and witness 

 the race without having any pecuniary interest in it. 

 After one or two false breaks the whole field got away. 

 It was a mixed-up race, first one and then another, until 

 they got well into the stretch, when three or four ap- 

 peared to us to be head and head fighting for the lead. 

 It was impossible from our position to note the horses 

 passing the stand until they came right opposite the 

 judges' stand, when, to our intense surprise, we saw the 

 head of Balbriggan in front, and the judges ' verdict was 

 "won by a head." 



Neither of the ladies, nor their companion, had the 

 slightest knowledge of who the winner was, and, turning 

 around, I said to one of the ladies : * ' Excuse me for the 

 liberty I take, but your knowledge of Balbriggan has 

 proved a success. ' ' They were, of course, intensely aston- 

 ished when I told them Balbriggan had won, and it was 



