A MILITAEY STEEPLE-CHASE 



We were quartered in a very sporting part of the 

 country, where the hunting season was always 

 wound up by a couple of days' steeple-chasing. 

 The regiment stationed here had usually given a 

 cup for a military steeple-chase, and when we de- 

 termined to give one for an open military handicap 

 chase, the excitement was very great as to our 

 chances of winning the cup we had given. As 

 there were some very good horses and riders in 

 the regiment, it appeared a fair one, eight nomin- 

 ations having been taken by us. There were also 

 about the same number taken by regiments in the 

 district. Our Major, who was a first-rate horseman, 

 entered his well-known horse Jerry ; I and others 

 nominated one each, but one sub., a very celebrated 

 character amongst us, took two. This man's father 

 had made a very large fortune by nursery gardens, 

 and put liis son into the army, where, of course, he 

 was instantly dubbed "The Gardener." He was by 

 no means a bad sort of fellow, but he never could 

 ride. The riding-master almost cried as he said he 



