A DAY WITH TOM CANNON. 263 



wLile — for some of Tom Cannon's children are 

 in tlie waggonette — we drive on to Danebury to 

 let the youngsters see grandpapa Day ; and, 

 after a chat with the genial master of the 

 famous place, to pay a visit to the "cemetery," 

 where are the graves of Bay Middleton, the hero 

 of Two Thousand and Derby in 1836, and 

 Crucifix, by whom the Days swear, heroine of 

 Two Thousand, One Thousand, and Oaks in 

 1840, the descendants from whose immortal 

 blood thunder so often first past the winning- 

 post. In the boxes and stalls, too, are some 

 good-looking young ones, including a few of the 

 sort which, having good blood and appearance 

 to recommend them, in favourite training phrase 

 *' may be anything." 



A cordial au revoir is uttered and acknow- 

 ledged at Danebury, and by the time we have 

 looked over some score of horses now kept at 

 Tom Cannon's farm, under the supervision of 

 Thomas, who steered Lord Lyon to victory in 

 the Two Thousand of 1866, and have furthermore 

 sauntered through the stalls at Houghton, I am 

 ready for one of those luncheons which kindly 

 Hampshire hospitality considers necessary, and 

 the keen air of Hampshire downs makes 

 welcome; while Mr. and Mrs. Cannon, far from 

 being surprised at an abnormal appetite, seem to 



