8 In Scarlet and Silk 



in vain. Instead of sweet, die-away expres- 

 sions of the ' ' Never - mind - then - it - was - a - 

 naughty -pony" order, stern, austere tones 

 demanded to know — 



" "Who told you to come tumbling off like 

 a flour-sack ? Get up on to the pony im- 

 mediately. You ought to be ashamed of 

 yourself." 



His motto was "Men, not mollycoddles." 

 Nature, I think, intended me for a light- 

 weight jockey ; fate willed otherwise, and 

 called me to the Bar. Between inclination 

 and duty I have, at times, got into some 

 curious and complex situations. For example, 

 I rememl)er that at a time when I was acting 

 as Deputy-Judge at a certain Criminal Court 

 of Kecord, I sat, on the Thursday, in all the 

 glory of wig and gown, sentencing my fellow- 

 men to various terms of imprisonment ; the 

 next day I was sporting silk in some Hunt 

 Steeplechases. During that afternoon the 

 " open ditch " proved fatal to me ; and being 

 rather knocked out of time, several people 

 came up and assisted in jerking me on to my 



