TOD SLOAN 



ally, the feeling that after all Europe was the only 

 place to live in. One American jockey, Danny Maher, 

 has even become a naturalised Englishman, and many 

 other Americans might do the same, but they are 

 slack and won't take the trouble about the papers. 

 However, personally I always had the feeling that if 

 I lived and died in Europe — ^as I suppose I shall — 

 nothing would make me change my citizenship of the 

 United States, although I suppose I have just as many 

 friends and acquaintances British as American, and 

 throughout my career I have had as many kindnesses 

 from one nation as from the other. 



Belgians and Frenchmen, too, were also very friendly 

 to me as far as I could judge ; and I think I know 

 now (although of course at first it was very difficult 

 for me to form an estimate not knowing a word of the 

 language, and not attempting the sort of pigeon English 

 that some do). I suppose I have a certain knowledge 

 of French to-day. Talking of pigeon English I think 

 " Boots " Durnell, who I brought over to France and 

 who is now training for the King of Roumania, was 

 about the funniest guy I ever saw or heard when he 

 first attempted to make himself understood in France. 

 From the very moment he arrived at Boulogne he 

 began to imitate what he thought French people 

 spoke ; and after about a week he had got together 

 certain sentences and a way of gesticulating which 

 was all his own. It was in an attempt to speak to 

 Charron first that he came out in his glory. 



This is a specimen : " You see, Monsieur, zat ze leg 

 of ze horse vich is swawlen and vot I do wis him zis 

 after midi is to take ze ombrohcarshon in mon hands 

 and zen I rube 'im until he gets veil." 



When he got one or two more French words in his 

 head he would shrug his shoulders every other moment, 



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