New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-09-15
Ill.

for sale as soon as opportunity offered.
It took me ell my time TO persuade my motner
that was not going 10 rum mySl Oh t ~ Lui -. :,
had 10 make out that II would De IinPossno6T 20
realize the true value Of the horses, or lndeed 10
ascertain it. without public triai. before
she would hear Of my -, running NM
them Her theory Gnstlled into her mind
bv nv dear uncle who had himself been victim
of the same doctrine was that IN no way couiu
racing be made 10 pay except by betting. Natty
grnned when ] mentioned this to INN ne sald ~
was fatal delusion the exact Opposite pelHt;
really tbe case and cited instances which showed
that the only regular winners were those who dld
not bet while all who backed their fancy Tor each
race inevitably came 10 grief, sooner or later on
must not expect, he said, TO win largely uniess
Won ,ycrc a great owner Of q first-class stud. like
Lord Tregothnan or the Duke OF Eastnlnster.
whose winnings in simple stakes would olteh
but there was nothing to prevent small nam
with a small stud containing a good horse or TWO
from winning in proportlonally Shon way
Thus he showed me how with stud, the training
expenses of which would only amount to hundreds.
a thousand or two per annum taking one year
with another might he realized WlblouI petIng
by one who thoroughly understood the capacities
of lis own ho-ses and how to race mem n U 1o',r
mare and a thousand pounds capltal, anu Ia
undertake to show you satisfactory balance
sheet at the end of three years without BOOKING
a single bet. Stakes are so good now mat
solitary win will often pay the training Dill OF
half dozen horses. and leave something In hand
TO 60 on with" l. 40, T
Because they are buffers" Nat answered
promptly. and because those who do not know
something about it are never content WIN
reasonable profit on their money invested Dld
YOU ever know q racing man satisfied with 10
or even 20 per cent on his outlay Doesn't ne
invariably curse his luck if he gets less than cent
per cent whenever he happens a 10 WIZ pe'''hH
ruins racing in more ways than one
All this was Teassuring to me; but not even
Natty's ingenious talk when he came down to
Bournemouth could prevail with the Mater. ohe
said | was my own master, and must do as L
pleased but she should not help me with penny,
whatever difficulty | got into-whch indeed
neither expected nor desired her to DO. Ger,
aldine' on the other hand, was much impressed
by Natty's knowledge, and after his visit looked
on her furs as good as won.
l. however, was by no means sanguine. could
hardly believe that Purdss, in whom my uncle
placed so much confidence could have been such
a duffer as Nat made him out, and | could not
divest myself of the idea that Brilliant would
prove the better OF the pair. had now quite
decided to run them, at any rate, for one racing
season and see how got on. A strict lnVestlga-
ton of my financial position told me | was Justl-
fed in doing much as this. The horses, roughly
speaking would cost me a hundred year each TO
keep them in training, and other expenses OF
entry and Jockeys fees, travelling, and so on.
might run 10 hundred and fifty more Against
this, the two mares with their foals fetcheu three
hundred and sixty, so that / was about all right
for the first year. Ny mother wished me TO put
by this money for my marriage expenses; but /
saw that could | turn it TO account in the way
Natty thought | could, il would considerably en-
pcdite matters with the ChOmo1dey-Dave
knew the Reverend Cholmondcly well enough to
be assured that his real objection to turf specula-
tions would be confined TO such as were not sue
cessful.
Ella was at this time staying with some friends
at Bournemouth, and i saw her every day. Pleas
ant days they were TO us spent in long rides over
the breezy heather. varied by strOlls through the
fragrant pines or along the calm shore at eventde.
Ella was by no means averse to my trying my
fortune on the turf in the way prescribed by
Natty, but stipulated there should he no betting.
She said her father was somewhat better disposed
toward me since hearing of my having inherited
legacy from my uncle, but agreed with me II
was better he should not at present be informed
OF the character Of that legacy of which, so far.
he was entirely ignorant.
/ believe, George she said he is so incensed
at Sir Wilfrid's doings in that way that he would
forbid me ever 10 speak to you again. lie has
said he will never give me shilling if l marry
without his consent"
Then these horses, I declared, must win us
enough to do without the shilling; but was far
from sanguine in my own heart of their being
able TO do so.
SO passed the summer away, not unpleasantly.
with little lovemaldng and good deal of regi-
mental cricket: while, as for work generally 1t
must be admitted a matter of secondary lmpor-
lance or no importance at all, with our fellows
took great interest in my troop, for had
entered the army profession. and it was my
ambition TO know my work.
In the autumn | was again at Bourne;
p R3Sa b on o few days leave tSo,o and
the same time, and the horses being now reported
fit to be tried, we chartered wagonette to drive
over and see them, Geraldine and Ella, Natty
Forwood and |. The Mater utterly refused to
lend her countenance to any turf proceedings what
ever so Mrs. FtZTnverS, Elias friend, came with
us as chaperone to the girls And what drive
we had, along the banks of the winding Stour.
rejecting the twin towers Of Wimborne Minister.
and on through the ancient town of BlandfOrd
Forum, and then up over the rolling downs-the
women animated by the strong. sweet air, and
Natty the box. full of fun. interchanging sharp
repartees with Geraldine, in which they made
such shrewd hits at one another that | thought
II must be case of Benedick and Beatrice, so
thorough appeared their contempt for each others
opinions. Then the putting up at a wayside inn.
with the improvised luncheon of ham and eggs.
reinforced by the contents of the hamper which
the Mater had thoughtfully caused to be placed
in the boot of the carriage. How Natty and |
did enjoy the horns of Dorsetshirc ale the best.
we owned, that had drunk since leaving
Oxford.
Luncheon over, we walked across the short.
springy turf TO the stables where found Pearce.
the trainer, awaiting our arrival. A very good
sort Of fellow he appeared; none OF your grand
gentlemen, full of mystery and importance, who
Will hardly Jet an owner look at his own horse,
far less LET him know what the horse can do
but pleasant, fresh -complexioned man Of about
fifty, as honest as Puriiss, but deal shrewder.
Taking Natty and me aside he told us that he
proposed TO try both the horses with one he had
there OF fair class, which had lately won good
handicap, and which he considered to be a very
reliable runner.
Not one of your in-and.Out customers he
said, " but a horse as always runs up to his form"
He further told us that, II either Of mine could
beat Pcdometer for such was the name OF the
trial horse, o. run well up TO him, il would be
good enough TO enter for any handicap or weight
forage stake.
Then the horses were brought out. Pedometer
was "a plainlooking, busness-like brown horse,
wearing a bandagc on his near foreleg, and looking
understood though not really so when you
came to stand beside him; not at all the sort of "A
horse 10 look at that dulfer would have rislled
a sovereign on at twenty 10 one, but, Natty
as VOL as his trainer assured me, d" a very useful
Sort Brilliant quite took the shine out of him
when he came forth, arching his neck and stepping
IL ...Al.