126 RECORDS OF OLD TIMES 



hood and breast cloth on. He said it was addressed 

 to me, and had just arrived by the London and 

 North-Western train. When placed in the stable 

 and unclothed, we all three uttered an exclamation 

 of astonishment at the sight of so faultlessly beauti- 

 ful an animal. It is useless for me to attempt 

 a description which would satisfy me, but the mare 

 stood just over si.xteen hands high, colour a rich 

 dark-brown chestnut, almost a black, black legs, 

 brown muzzle, rather a big head, carried beautifully, 

 slightly lopping large ears, fine prominent eyes, 

 broad forehead with white star in centre, a rather 

 long neck, with a black silky mane, magnificent 

 shoulders well laid back, strong loins, a bang tail 

 set rather high up on the rumps, tolerably wide 

 hips, bang and strong drooping quarters, splendid 

 hocks, good forehand, deep chest and ribs, famous feet, 

 critically she had rather weak pasterns, yet springy 

 and elastic. She was in the pink of condition. Here, 

 then, was apparently everything one could desire. 

 As there was ample time to join the meet, which was 

 distant about four miles, I hastened to get into 

 my boots, leathers, and hunting costume, and started. 

 On examining the direction label, I found attached 

 a short note from ' Harborough Brown,' a well- 

 known heavy-weight cross-country rider and manager 

 of Mr. John Anderson, of Piccadilly (not my old 

 friend ' Joseph ' of ' that ilk '), saying ' he hoped I 

 would like the mare, and that the price would not 

 frighten me, as it was fifty guineas ! ' (Fifty guineas ! 

 she looked more like three hundred) ; that she was 



