Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1874-06-17
LORD YIYIAN,s DREAM.
A Dream that Brought Good Luck
10 the Dreamer.


10 the Dreamer.
The most predominant and apparently
incongruous characteristics of the gam
bier are shrewdness and superstition, and
the aristocrat who ventures his money on
the speed of one out of score OF horses
Tor more frequently upon the honesty or
dishonesty of the trainers and riders OF
the same), it will be seen by the story OF
Lord Vivian's dream, often is swayed by
such impulses as be effects to ridicule in
his humber brother gambler who buys
lottery tickets upon the inspiration de-
rived from hackney-coach numbers or
backs his fancy whose colors on the
erect card" coincide with those of the
first bonnet he observed on his left turn
ing down three corners on the day OF
the race.
On the morning of the city and su-
burban day of the recent Epson spring
meeting, Lord Vivian, well known
English turfman, dreamed that he was
accosted in the weighing room on the
course by friend, Mr.. c. Samuda, who
informed him that the race had been q
fine one, The Teacher having only won
by neck. Lord Vivian at breakfast
looked through the betting list, but saw
no such name as Teacher in the quota
tions, but on proceeding to the Water
loo station the first person he met was
Mr.. Samuda-coincidence numoer one
who on being told of the dream, said
that there was such horse among the
starters, Aldrich having originally been
named The Teacher Ia neat piece of
nomenclature, his sire being Lecturer),
the name being changed because it was
already borne by filly of the same age.
Coincidence number two still further
impressed Lord Vivian, who determined
to put a couple of ponies = otherwise a
century-upon the horse. The owner,
Lord Rosebery, a nobleman very we'll
and favorably known in this country,
endeavored to dissuade him, telling him
that Aldrich had heen badly beaten in
his trials; so Lord Vivian only backed
the horse for e30, the market price be-
ing 1000 to 30. Several other gentle
men backed the dream, notably Mr..
Somarville, the owner of one of the fa-
vorites. The race was run. There was
nasty accident, the favorite (who
looked sll over winner) fell and broke
his back, two other horses tumbling
over him, and several others, including
Mr.. Somarville's flly, we're disap-
pointed" Aldrich won-coincidence
number three. And by neck-coinei-
dence number four.
All of which is recommended to the
reader Of an arithmetical turn of mind,
who having gloriously distinguished
himself by demonstrating the chances
against one player at whist holding
thirteen trumps, may sigh for fresh
problems to solve. We also advise our
gilded youth who are making up books
on the Belmont or Withers to look into
this subject as possibly affording clues
for which they may seek in vain through
the mazes of private trials and public
running, form, and breeding Those
old turfmen who desire to see visions OF
rank outsiders numbers going up, and
young sportsmen who would fain dream
dreams of dark horses cantering past
the post lengths in front of all the favor
ties, might adopt the meat of Fuseli and
and the drink Of De Quincy. The ears
Of the walters at Delmonicos would
then during race weeks be saluted with
OTueEs lOT raw pOih ChOpS IOT one
plenty of blood and quarts of cabinet
laudanum. The nightmare would be
the better horse and men HE them to
bed crammed with distressful pork, cab
bage and racing calendars, to sleep, per-
chance to dream; while stenographers
surround the couches whereon they lay
in restless ecstacy to take down their in
spired rawlings OF. the race of the morrow.
But let not the credulous taker Of odds
too eagerly follow faneies thus bred, be.
got and engendered. In horse racing
indigestion will as frequently be at fault
as inexperience or even intelligence.
Bacon very properly observes that peo-
pie only mark dreams when they hit
never when they miss; so that the pro
portion Of dreams falling true is infin-
itely smaller than it would seem to be.
Lord Viviau's dream netted him $4,000,
and had he followed out his first inten-
tions would have brought him $4,000.
But we doubt il ever his lordship will
again get the straight tip through the