LUCKLESS FRIAR'S BALSAM 307 



Every one speaks highly of it, and all notices so far are 

 most laudatory. At Eggesford last week they were all 

 full of it. Lady Portsmouth specially was pleased, and 

 she's a clever woman. . . . 



Yes, you have indeed done well. It's all over now, 

 and we see what indifferent material you had to work 

 on, and I am sorry to hear you have nothing very pro- 

 mising for next year. I don't know whether Friar's 

 Balsam can stay, and even you may not be quite certain 

 on that point ; but if he had only kept well what a sweep 

 of the board it would have been. Last year he was 

 always master of Ayrshire and Seabreeze. He, no doubt, 

 had very bad luck in the Lancashire Plate, or else I 

 suppose he would have finished in the first three at all 

 events. ... 



I am sorry to say we cannot manage a visit to Kingsclere 

 at present, but do hope that next summer we may find you 

 with a spare room. Mrs. Hawley Smart says she got 

 quite tired of hearing the praises of " The Master " 

 sung at Eggesford. — Yours sincerely, 



Hawley Smart. 



Mr. Willie Low joined the stable in 1887. 

 His father was a Scotsman who made a big 

 fortune in the United States. A remarkably 

 handsome man, Mr. Low was " one of the best," 

 and always full of fun. The first animal he sent 

 to me was the filly Hall Mark, who won a few 

 nice races, and afterwards became a very useful 

 brood mare. Another was Gay Hampton, a colt 

 of beautiful quality by Hampton out of Rosy 

 Morn. His one success as a two-year-old was 

 the capture of the Kempton Park Grand Stakes, 



