1 1 8 Saddle and Sirloin. 



plead guilty to one bet, " a glass of cold ale with a 

 publican" on the Cup. The Tile-kiln was in view at 

 last, and the two bits of scarlet among the rushes 

 showed that business had begun. The red cloak of 

 Bella was also a most conspicuous object, and " only 

 second to the judge," as she herself observed. This 

 lively old lady keeps " The Travellers' Rest," some- 

 where near Gilsland, alias St. Ronan's Well, and she 

 appeared here with a basket full of spirits, and paid 

 ten shillings for the vivandiere privilege of following 

 the line of march. The Committee have been obliged 

 to make this rule, as they were annoyed last year 

 with a regular army of sutlers. " They aw ken me 

 weel" said Bella, and certainly Bella makes them ken 

 her. She does use such potent words of exhortation 

 to bachelors, and cracks such jokes on Benedicts, that 

 she may well be a popular character. Her red cloak 

 was quite a banner at last, and really after seeing her 

 ditch-jumping and general performance on all manner 

 of ground, we can take for granted what that vene- 

 rable woman says of herself, at nearly seventy, that 

 " Tse as clean in the shank as ever I was" She adds : 

 " I can loup dykes and climb a hill gey ly w eel yet — Td 

 run ony of the young uns> but I must have it doon kill" 

 Askerton Castle, an old Border keep, whose tenants 

 keep open-house during the meeting, is a leading 

 feature of the first day. A great many rushes had 

 been cut since last year, and those which were left 

 produced boundless runs. In fact, one philosopher 

 laid it at ''ten hares to half-a-yacre" in one field. 

 Tullochgorum, Crossfell, Titmouse, and other cracks 

 have all won or divided the Cup here, and Fanatic, 

 who ran up for the Douglas Cup, was among the 

 thirty-two Cup dogs that morning. Strange Idea was 

 a great favourite, and was drawn against Bay Middle- 

 ton, from the Wetheral district. Twice over they had 

 a " No go," and at the third time of asking, Strange 

 Idea didn't seem to run with any fire. The Secretary 



