LADY FROM KANSAS CITY 



to him. Fancy Willie — ^that's met — saying I was 

 going to win a race to anyone — especially a stranger 

 on a race-course ! " Let me tell you something," I 

 went on : "I have never been to Goodwood in my life, 

 and the only place I think I've seen you in before was 

 the waxworks." 



As a matter of fact I never rode at Goodwood in my 

 life, and have never been near the place. 



That was only one of a hundred odd incidents of the 

 kind, but speaking of being claimed I think the 

 funniest of the lot was when I made a trip to Kansas 

 City a few years after I gave up riding. I was in 

 the paddock when someone came to me and said, 

 " There's a lady wants to speak to you over there ; 

 she's sitting on the stand among the people there : 

 she says it's very important." 



I asked who she was and whether she was old or 

 young, and her name, but the man didn't know. He 

 had received the message from someone else. So I 

 fell for it. There were a lot of people sitting near a 

 large lady who would have had to diet and waste to 

 ride twelve st. When I got to her she threw her 

 arms round me, while I struggled to get away. Then 

 she pushed me away from her to get a look good at me, 

 holding me by the shoulders with her strong hands. 



" Don't you remember me ? I'm Molly Plumb. I 

 used to carry you in my arms when you were six years 

 old. I lived next door to you." 



Now it was only twenty-five years before that I 

 was six years old. I remembered her very well and 

 added that I'd see her again when I came back, but 

 that I was very busy that day. That didn't please 

 her and she called out at me, " Tod Blauser " — Blauser 

 was my adopted mother's name — " for two pins I'd 

 turn you over on my knee and spank you." 



71 



