48 The Co7crse, the Camp, the Chase 



worthy of the honour, though unless he was unpopular he 

 was almost sure to be elected. It is the way of the world, 

 however, and the tendency of the day to destroy the 

 exclusiveness of societies, and to level down as well as to 

 level up. 



Mountjoy, the famous pedestrian, was at one time a 

 " common object " at Eton, as he was engaged in walking 

 one of his 1000 mile matches against time. He walked 

 on the Slough Eoad, and we often accompanied him a 

 short way. He always seemed to like our company, but 

 as time progressed he got very weary, and did not care for 

 much conversation. 



One of my early Easter holidays was spent in London, 

 and we used to go to Allen's Eiding School, in Seymour 

 Street, to find amusement in jumping-lessons. At that 

 time the great American horse-tamer, Earey, was perform- 

 ing there, and the untamable savage " Cruiser " stood in 

 a loose-box. How Earey ever succeeded in getting his 

 straps upon him, single-handed, is a marvel to me to this 

 day, and proved what extraordinary courage and coolness 

 he must have possessed. When we used to go with his 

 groom to look at " Cruiser," the man first used to peep 

 through a hole to see whereabouts in the box the horse 

 was, and if he was well away from the door the latter was 

 cautiously opened, and whilst one man advanced with a 

 pitchfork at the " charge," another took in the food or 

 water, or whatever was the occasion of the visit. " Cruiser " 

 would stand sullenly eyeing us, but he knew too well 

 what pitchforks were made of to try experiments with 

 them. The men retreated cautiously backwards after their 

 mission was fulfilled, but the very moment the last portion 

 of the pitchfork had vanished and the door slammed to. 



