The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1885-08-28
LONDON'S HOLIDAY.
DERBY DAY, AND THE SIGHTS TO BE
SEEM
Reauries of an English Handicapped
Picturesque Crowd-Brief Account
of the Run-The Magnificent
Finish-Good Luck.
neland's London letter.

ueland's London letter.
The great holiday of the year-the Lon
doner's Fourth of July-the carnival of
sport, style, rowdyism, flirting, swindling,
and gayety-the day which, like that of the
greatest festival in ancient India, is de-
voted to the worship Of the horse in one
word, the Derby. IN. B.-Pronounce
Darby) 1t is walk of a mile from the
,tation, up a gently rising downtown
means up In England, for the downs
are gently rising hills A broad sx-
tent of these were golden with
close growing, thick-blooming gorse-or
pure gold is the word, so intensely
bright is the hue (The gorse has delicate
smell like that of ripe apricots or peaches,
and it's said that whenever it blooms kissing
is in season. but truly this is always, since
there is no day in the year when one cannot
find few flowers on it, for which reason l
opine that many of my readers would gladly
see it growing in America). Tricky dotted
in the gorse were many gypsy vans and
tents. The number of these was remarkable,
since every gypsy in England who can pos
sibly manage it contrives to be at EPSON
during the racing week.
do not think that many of those who are
In the multitude pay much attention to
what is by far the greatest attraction of the
whoIe-the exquisitely beautiful Surrey
landscape, which of fine day spreads like a
perfect panorama in the distance, and the
wonderfully picturesque scenes of the grand
stand, crowded with thousands, the innum-
cradle vehicles, from the superb fourth
hand, full Of the gayest swells, to the coster-
monger's cart. With these are endless
tents, marques, pavilions banners, bands
of music, mummers, MINISTRIES, and at
every step and every turn the gypsy "tan"
and gayly painted van. So tn at it would
all be magnificent sight were it only for
the immense attendance, which was COM
puted at from 3OO 900 to $4,000. Put this
number of holiday makers together on a
broad hill among fowery mea dows, over
looking a charming country, give them
champagne flowers, lobster salad, brandy,
roses, cold chickens, lilies, claret cup, Hlacs,
sand witches, porter, ale, gin, ginger beer,
drinkables and eatables ad infnitum, with
all games legal and legal with much betting,
and you have scene to remember.
Ting-a-ling- ling! The bell rings-the
course is cleared and that easily and speed
lily, for an English policeman, and indeed
the English people stand no nonsense whep
sport is at stake The paddock is empty,
the stands are full 1t is great joy for the
multitude TO see, with or without opera
glasses, from near or far, in the royal bon
the prince and princess of Wales, their chill
dren, the princesses and princes, and all thu
other glorious ones Of the sacrosanct circle,
and pleased, indeed, are the ladies wins
make out that the princess wears a dresl
according to The Telegraph 'of myrtle.
green poplin, having a plastron Of Irish
rose-point lace, and bonnet to match the
gown" At what time of day the lady had
on this glowing floral combination heaven
and The Telegraph reporter only knows,
since to my eyes and those of The Daily
News man she was attired in what l Ger.
tainly took for light brown-it not being in
good form at all for the better kind to ap-
pear at the Derby in anything startling.
But borrow from him his brief account of
the run, since that comedies indeed with
what l saw.
"People endure the false starts with such
patience as they can command, and, at the
cry They are of, begin to observe the race
with keen interest They watch the clump
of horses, as it were, creeping up the hill,
increasing their speed with every stride
the varying fortunes of the exciting con
test, the whirlwind sweep round Tattenham
corner, and the magnificent, lightning like
finish, as Archer seems to push Meltons
head In front of Paradox, within a foot of
the winning post. That final moment Of
the Derby finish has in it the condensed
passion OF lifetime, as from the distant
hill the hum rises louder and yet more
Ioud-as the iron-shod hoofs of the
racers beat upon the hard turf rush
ing past the staDd-till it be-
comes a sustained, thunderous roar-the
deep-voiced diapason of the Derby mobi
When the race is over and Melton, with
Archer still up, is led, quivering with excite
ment, into the little paddock in front of the
weighing-room, the prince of Wales is
among the first to congratulate Lord Hast
ings upon his good fortune"
aH xuac a 70 20 wall worth TT
is already being said that some of the most
stirring chapters in racing history have been
written upon Epson Downs but that none
of them can surpass this newest page and
that to ba7e seen the great struggle yester-
day between Melton and Paradox is some
thing to speak of for lifetime. Derby has
declined, but yesterday witnessed in it a
glorious revival This for the racing part
But the racing to me, though l saw it all
and enjoyed it, was lesszeurious, less note
wort thy, than the observations which made
among the people.
1t is, as all the world knows, considered
lucky to find a horseshoe, but picked one
up just as 1 set foot on the track. am as
sured by the most experienced sorceresses
and witches among the people that of all
others a shoe found on race-track. but
especially on the derby, is talisman of
most potent power perhaps one of the
horses running lost the race by losing that
shoe. and so you'll get the luck which he
lost" At any rate, it lies before me, and
viii make a good paperweight. The last
shoe of the kind which I found was just be
fore the door of York cathedral.