74 JOHN PORTER OF KINGSCLERE 



There is nothing more to be said about our 

 horses so far as that season is concerned. Un- 

 fortunately when the autumn came round they 

 passed out of my control for the time being. 

 While attending the Doncaster meeting in Sep- 

 tember, I was laid low by a severe attack of 

 typhoid fever. At Doncaster I had to remain 

 for many weeks, tenderly nursed by my wife, and 

 aided towards a complete recovery by the skill 

 of my doctor, a cheery soul named Schofield. 

 For several days I was very ill indeed. Before 

 he left Doncaster Sir Joseph Hawley came to 

 see me. I was apparently asleep ; in reality I 

 was conscious of all that was going on around me, 

 but unable to move or speak. I heard Sir Joseph 

 mutter to himself, ** I wonder if he has any 

 money with him ? ** Then I saw him take his 

 note-case out of his pocket, and lay the contents 

 on the bed. Realising that he would require 

 some money to get home with he picked up one 

 of the notes, and then slipped quietly out of the 

 room. It was a generous, thoughtful action, 

 done by stealth. 



When my illness began, my wife was at home. 

 Sir Joseph wrote assuring her that, in the doctor's 

 opinion, I was in no danger, that there was no 

 occasion for anxiety, and that I was in comfort- 

 able lodgings and being looked after by a particu- 

 larly nice and attentive woman. He added that 

 I was in the hands of a very clever doctor, and 



