135 THE BLUE RIBBON OF THE TURF. 



an adventurer who can command a couple of pounds 

 to set himself up as a guide to backers of horses. 

 ]\[any such are now at work ; they generally last for a' 

 few weeks and then break down. As a rule they are 

 persistent liars, and know as much about horses as 

 they do about herrings. There is a knave of the kmd. 

 who is constantly obtruding his mondacions advertise- 

 ments on turf-men, always saying that his success is 

 enormous, that his subscription-list is full, but that for 

 the small sum of Hvc shillings he will give a few more 

 persons the benefit of ' his own exclusive information,' 

 as well as let them share in the knowledge of the 

 gentlemen who write to him from the various training 

 quarters. Tempted to send your five shillings for that 

 particular 'circular,' you find it is a fraud : there is 

 nothing in it but what may be found in the Sporting 

 Chronicle, StanJard, or Daily Tdcgimph. In ten 

 days or so ' the witch ' writes you in piteous terms to 

 add another half-crown to your subscription. ' You 

 Avill never regret doing so,' you are told ; ' there is 

 something to come for the back-end handicaps that 

 will prove a fortune to all who subscribe to the Witch 

 of Endor.' I wrote for the circular just to test it, 

 and of course found it to be worthless. Some of the 

 more dishonest of the tout fraternity, in their despera- 

 tion to make a living at the business, claim every now 

 and then to have spotted nearly every winner at some 

 particular meeting ; in proof of which assertion they 

 offer to send back numbers of their circulars to be ex- 

 amined by intending subscribers, and in more than one 

 instance such persons have reprinted some of their 

 ' back numbers ' with no end of winning tips. By 



