Introductory 1 3 



works, nothing pleased him so much as to 

 get away to a race-course. He did not 

 "throw much style" into his "get up." 

 We started together once for a day at the 

 old Croydon Steeplechases. Tom Brett's 

 idea of a suitable costume for this and every 

 other occasion was a tall hat, with the nap 

 all brushed the wrong way, and stuck on 

 hind side before ; a thin black necktie, fastened 

 in a bow, and slewed round under one ear ; 

 an overcoat left open and flying out to the 

 breeze, as he sped along at a pace that no 

 man on earth could keep up with, except 

 at a trot ; trousers of equal parts, grey cloth 

 and ink spots ; ink-spotted cuffs and collar ; 

 with pmce-nez which never remained for 

 five consecutive seconds on his nose. He 

 was on these race days always armed with 

 a quart bottle, the black neck of which 

 protruded boldly from his side-pocket, and 

 three or four cigars wrapped up in a bit of 

 newspaper. He absolutely declined to go on 

 a Stand, or even into an enclosure, and the 

 way he raced from one fence to the other 



