MR MYERS' SUCCESS 



chance did they possess ? Of course there were the 

 many disappointments inseparable from a racing 

 stable. Of those now remaining Mr Myers' property 

 are two mares, Chester and Jonquille. With more 

 careful training the latter, a grey, might have turned 

 out anything : she was a perfect beauty as a two-year- 

 old when we bought her. 



Tliere was one race which she won at Maisons 

 Laflfitte over which I am afraid both Mr Myers and 

 myself made some bad friends. The going was not 

 exactly in her favour and she was so badly drawn — in 

 fact in a position on the other side of the course, from 

 which very few if any win. How could either of us 

 therefore give one point of encouragement to inquiring 

 friends ! 



It seemed any odds against. I fancy someone put 

 on a hundred francs for me, but I would not waste a 

 shilling of my own over her — in the circumstances. 

 Mr Myers had a few hundred francs on her. She was 

 his animal and he was a rich man so he had a right to 

 indulge in a hobby. She won at a big price, Johnny 

 Reiff just getting the filly home. Then started the 

 " rat-tats." " Why hadn't we told them ? " I never 

 heard the end of it that afternoon, nor the next day 

 either ; it was always coming at me from one and 

 another. It was no use telling the truth for I was dis- 

 believed, and in fact charged with misleading inquirers, 

 these including many old friends, some of whom gave 

 me the cold shoulder ever afterwards, and some of 

 whom I cut out for being so surly about it. This may 

 not be so interesting to English readers, but the case is 

 of the kind that many others have experienced on a 

 race-course. It would have been madness to encourage 

 them to back the mare : in fact I was on a hiding to 

 nothing whatever happened. 



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