without actually hitting him. Sladen unfortunately has no 

 appreciation of true talent, and cursed vigorously because 

 " Doman's best " had alighted on his hat. The rest of us had to 

 pretend to commiserate with him. Todde, in the kindness of his 

 heart, stopping to enquire whether Sladen was hurt, was met with 

 the remark, " Damn it, Tod ! I wish you would give me a little 

 more room ! " Close to the finish a blind ditch brought some 

 half-a-dozen to grief. The first to come down was the junior 

 Junior, who described a perfect parabolic curve, both landing on 

 their heads ; closely following came a Crammer's boy, who did 

 likewise, then Starveacre rolled porpoiselike into the ditch, and was 

 with much difficulty extricated by his rider, assisted by a concourse 

 of spectators. These mishaps temporarily caused a regular block 

 in the proceedings. 



In this line several amenities were exchanged, and it is 

 whispered that the professorial objurgatory vocabulary was the 

 most exuberant, though Sladen and Clay proved no mean exponents 

 of the art of cursing. 



One unfortunate individual, whose horse was rather out of 

 hand, was rather hurt at the attention he received, and his pain 

 was increased by falling into a bog on the way home. He will 

 soon learn the advantages which accrue to the "offensive" 

 defensive, " He laughs best who curses first." 



( 26 ) 



