168 CANADIAN TUKF RECOLLECTIONS 



entertainer. The company rarely broke up before mid- 

 night and it certainly was pleasant on a moonlight night 

 to look ont upon the splendidly kept grounds of the Reed 

 mansion and the superb elm-shaded avenue on which it 

 fronted. 



At one of these pleasant reunions a younger member 

 of the company was rather boastful of his ability as an 

 amateur foot-runner. Warming on the subject he stated 

 he would wager a basket of ^'fiz" that he could run 

 seventy-five yards faster than any amateur of our ac- 

 quaintance. "You are a good many years younger than 

 I am, but make the distance fifty yards and I will take a 

 crack at you myself." Such was the quiet reply of my 

 friend Pringle, and when the boaster asked when the 

 event should be pulled off, the answer was, "right now 

 on the Avenue." Both parties agreeable, we adjourned 

 to the ground selected, and as there was neither a vehicle 

 or person in sight it was a clear field with no obstacles 

 in the way. The fifty yards were duly measured; the 

 judge was appointed and I was selected to do the start- 

 ing. Both gentlemen promptly responded to my request 

 to toe the mark, and on their affirmative response to my 

 query: "Gentlemen, are you ready?" I said, "Go!" 

 They went, my friend Pringle playing pathfinder all the 

 way. The beaten one remarked : ' ' By George, I was not 

 expecting to run up Against a ghost by moonlight." The 

 "fiz" was promptly supplied, and many a pleasant chat 

 was indulged in on the same piazza over its consumption. 



"Roddy" Pringle held and still holds, in the hearts of 

 those who knew him, a place of high honor. Kindly, 

 gentle and genial, a sportsman for sport's sake, he stood, 

 without fear or favor, for fair play and square dealing. 

 His influence was all for good and turfmen, in Canada 

 and elsewhere, who knew and loved him, will ever keep 

 his memory green, and recall in association with his 

 name the good old days of yore when men went to the 

 races more to enjoy the sport than for the sake of the 

 money that could be made out of it. 



