Morning journal and courier., 1882-05-31
The Life of a Jockey.
Some Of the Drawbacks Which Attend
 the Wonderful Archer's Career

Some Of the Drawbacks Which Attend the Wonderful Archer's Career You have doubtless heard much on various occasions, says a London letter about this truly remarkable jockey. I am tempted to give slight sketch of him as he appeared yesterday. He commenced by winning two races in grand style, and, later on, won an- other, though he was nowhere in the chief event Truth to say, the famous jockey pre- sented rather painful appearance yesterday. Imagine tall, emaciated looking man, ca- daverous of countenance, with large, pro- jecting lips, slight stoop, decidedly round shoulders, and long, somewhat misshapen legs. Picture this man, wrapped in an over coat and shivering as though nearly every gust of wind went right through his slender frame. Such is the premier jockey of Eng land. should be sorry to say that Archer is of pronounced money-hoarding and mi serly turn of mind but it looks very much as if such were the case. He has always been notorious for excessive thrift; no one ever knew him to throw about money with any thing approaching recklessness or generosity. He has amassed large sums and promptly slowed them away securely and carefully. Iti7 said on good authority that he is worth quite S35o, 900, and moreover he Is shortly to be married to the daughter of one of the richest trainers in England. Lately. how ever, he hes developed a tendency for in- creasing his weight, and this seems to trouble him immensely. Why he should wish to continue riding in races no one with any sense can divine. He would surely do well to retire; but he will listen to no advice of the kind. Some plainly spoken people say his greed for making money cannot be over come. Anyhow, all I know is that he has to treat his system most cruelty in order that he may not ''scale2 above IF pounds. For three days before the City and Suburban, am told by some one who really should know, Archer took very little solid sustenance of any description. Meat and vegetables he abso- luteiy eschewed his diet consisting chiefly of bread and tea taken without sugar. Archer does not keep down his weight by pedestrian exercise. I believe his enfeeblsd frame is in- capable of the necessary exertlon. He goes in for strong physicking," and anyone with sense must know how injurious this is to the g stem. Now and again he breakfasts of couple Of seldlltZ powders, or something sim iarly purgative and cheerful, and he has been known to positively fill himself with drugs The result simply is that he already looks like a weazened and shrunken old man. After the first race yesterday I saw him quiy- ering and shaking from head to foot with the exertion the race had cost him. and it isa fact that he had to imbibe half a pint of champagne ere he could steady himself sui fciently to ride in the City and Suburban. Again I say that man who will thus trife and play fast and loose with his constitution cannot be commended upon the score of wis dom. It may happen that when Archer final ly retires from the ''pig-skin'' he may ''fn out" and become to a certain extent robust and hearty, but doubt it. He looked de- plorable enough yesterday to raise hopes in the mind of an undertaken l learn, how ever, that he has resolved to continue at work right through the present season, and I should think no one who knows him will envy him the task he has set himself, no matter about the money he homes to pain
 Cremation in Japan.
 young cadet midshipman, with the Asi a tic squadron, writes from Yokohama as fol lows:
 We wandered up a narrow path between black, barren looking peaks, about half way up the mountain. Upon turning a sharp corner we came into gully between peaks, in the centre of which was a large square stone building with cupola. This was the crematory. Upon entering we found a square room, with a ground foors in the centre of which several brick freplaces were built These were formed by brick walls about three feet high and two feet apart. There are five of these hreplaces-two small ones either side and large one in the middle When'w arrived they were not burning any one much to our disgust after our long tramp. As we returned We met, at the bot of the hill, body being brought. It was 6 large box, like sedan chair, carried by two coolies. The hearse @ was profusely dec orsted with white, the mourning color in this country.
 There were two mourners, one man and 8 child, dressed entirely in white. There were others in the procession, carrying white flags and paper lanterns, also an old priest dressed in long mud colored robes. We joined the procession and followed into the temple The body was set down in the centre of the temple, and the priest, after ringing bell
  prayers, the principal part of which seemed to be expressive groans. During the service mourners and the other members of the pro- cession were chatting aud laughing as if nothing was going on. The Jsps do not be- lieve in the immortality of the soul, but think that a man goes from one life to another until until he becomes good enough to be absorbed into the Mikado or Great God
 After the services at the Temple the trim mings were stripped of and the body was carried up the hill. We followed, determin- ed to see the end The old sexton was ready, and had wood laid across one of the fire places The body was taken out. 1t having been encased in a cask about three feet high the legs being doubled up along the body. This is the regular coffin used in the country the graves being dug in cylindrical instead of rectangular shape. In this case the coffin was laid upon the wood and straw piled around 1t. The chief mourner then lighted we should also have left, but we dld not The straw soon blazed up and the wood caught. In few minutes there was loud crack, like the report of a pistol It was occasioned by the bursting of the hoops on the barrel. The barrel soon fell of, exposing the body, which strengthened out. The sex ton was very obliging. and removed the straw, etc, from the body so that we could see the whole operation. After the body began to burn it was its own fuel. We stayed till it began to fall to pieces, when we left. After a body has burned to ashes it can be claimed and buried by the friends; if not claimed the ashes are thrown out the back door. where there is great accumulation of such remains of the dead. The charge for burn ing body is about sixty cents.