NORMAN BUCHANAN. 323 



brooked Buchanan's company ; for he was not in 

 manners or education a fit associate for him, unless, 

 indeed, he used him to do what was unavoidable in 

 the shape of dirty work, and so gave him the fancied 

 power, which he used to his own destruction. 

 Buchanan was irritable ; whilst disputes without 

 judgment, and zeal without discretion, led him into 

 many difficulties. He retired from the racecourse to 

 his home near Glasgow, where he suffered much from 

 illness ; though, strange to say, he lived to see his 

 death twice recorded in the papers before it actually 

 took place. Poor ' Tass ' Parker, on the other hand, 

 lived respected and in ease to a good old age, and 

 died lamented by all who knew him. Pie had, in his 

 time, many battles to fight besides those on the turf. 

 In the P.R. he was well known to be staunch as he 

 was scientific; and though once accused ; of showing 

 the white feather,' that the charge was unfounded I 

 mn quite certain, the actual fact being that he was 

 over-matched at all points b}^ a heavier opponent. 



Before concluding my notice of Mr. Buchanan I 

 may relate a little incident that occurred between 

 him and myself. After he had Avon a good stake on 

 one of Mr. Merry's horses that I was training-, he, 

 in gratitude I suppose, gave me a small cask of 

 whisky. He did not send a receipted account with 

 it until I asked him to do so. Shortly afterwards, for 

 it was towards the close of his career, he was forced, 

 unfortunately, to suspend payment, as the commercial 



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