New-York tribune., 1890-06-29
THE ASCOT WEEK.
WHAT WAS TO BE SEEN ON THE ROAD FROM
WINDSOR AND ON THE COURSE.


cialy speaking it was Monday that this festival
began. All those houses occupied by Ascot parties
opened their friendly doors to their guests Mon
day afternoon. How many such houses there
are II IS not easy 10 say, nor Will anybody whom
have asked hazard guess. There may be a
hundred or two hundred. Most of them not
large and the companies which fill each Of
them can hardly average many as ten each
Sometimes they not than four OF SIN
The radius however is considerable. Not Ascot
only, but Brachne Sunnngdale, Virginia Water
and Windsor within easy reach and all are
crowded. The racing world thinks noshing of
drive OF ten miles: does the lesser world
which, caring little or nothing for racing, delights
in the social life Of Ascot
You may leave the horses out altogether II
you like Many and many a party is made up
of people who can hardly tell you the name Of
the favorte in any single race ner, when the
day is over, either know what has won.
If they it is perhaps because a friend or
knsman has been interested in some race. To
that extent you must be interested or appear TO
be interested. The eXigencles of society Ill such
matters are rigid. II is not thought well TO meet
a friend who has just won, or more probably
lost a race and not congratulate him or condole
with him. The proportion of condolences 10 con-
eratulations is undue. You would be deemed uD-
feeling and, which is worse TO the worldly eye,
unconventional. And you will even be expected
to exhibit certain degree of ceremOnous con-
Germ in the good i'll, generally ill, fortune OF
those among your friends and acquaintance who
have backed horses, and TO inform yourself
whether they have had good day not.
good day" is the euphemistc term for having
won somebody elses money. A bad day. con-
versely, is a day when somebody else has won
from you. The expression is not at Ascot a
aiply
though the weather is probably the thing most
important to most of those present, next after the
racing and the winning or losing of money for the
sake Of which racing exists.
This morning brought with it the menace of
rain, and though no rain fell till late in the after
noon, the effect was visible all day long in the |
soberness of costume which prevailed i'll the |
Enclosure. Tuesday is never quite the smartcst'
day at Ascot neither the company nor costume |
attains to The degree of splcndor usual on Thurs
day. Near Windsor and in Ascot itself it was |
but gray morning. while in London were told |
By the London contingent of day visitors that it |
had been raining since daylight The best |
gowns were therefore reluctantly put on one
side: and the second best worn When, how
ever, it happened and happen it did. that some
fair creature who had yielded 10 these counscs
Of prudence beheld her not less fair and more
daring, altogether hated rival in her best, the
anguish was perhaps great if her own gown
had been ruined by the rain. There is rivalry
in these competitions runOus. fear. to peace of
mind as well as TO all but well-lincd purses.
The drive is not the least delightful part Of
the day it, as with our party, It takes you through
Windsor Park That magnificent domain is now
in it's full glory of foliage and nowhere is mid-June
more lovely. The highways themselves wind
through park-lil1e fields: there not, between
the riverside place near Windsor from which we
start and Ascot Heath, eight miles away, single
unlovely view. The hedges high that
the road seems narrow and the coach with ITS
four blacks TO fill it from green hedge TO hedge.
Other coaches are visible at turns Of the road:
and so level is the country that they appear on
the horizon like far-of ships at The country
sde is astir Trim groups OF cottage tenants
are at the cottage gates; for the most part women
and children The men arc aiield or perhaps
on the Heath, since there is in all this Kingdom
no human being too low too high TO be con-
cerned in the days contests As pass New
Lodge, an ambitious cdGCe Of yellow stone, with
battlements and muloned windows. the Tudor
doorway is thronged with people starting for
the races: the footmcn in their livcrieS most
conspicuous Of all Though we 90 at good
pace we are overtakcn by lesser vehicles; dog
carts, with cobs fourteen hands high, doing their
twelve miles an hour; here reckoned fast trottng.
If they do not pass us, they fell in behind so
that presently procession which on leaving
our own front door consisted Of drag, break
and landau, is swollen till it numbers eight or
nine conveyances in all. The additions have witt,
one exception, more of business look than we
have. The exception IS drawn by two
horses, carrying full thirty grown men. But the
dogcartS are driven by men with knowing hard
brown faces, beneath brown pot-hats, wearing
loose gray coats with horn buttons groom.
none too we'll apparclled. sitting by the side Of
lis master
Presently, from the top Of the coach man
mods TO of these passing dogcart men. Who
is that A stare of polite surprise accompanied
he answer. That is Porter" Who is Porter"
Tie second question was too much for the polite
imperturbablity of the young Briton to whom it
was put. The politcress almost vanished out of
his comcly young face, and the surprise alone
survived as he replied more briefly still, " The
trainer" Not to know Porter 10 announce
ones self hopeeSsly ignorant of all that appertains
TO the Turf. | tried TO make out what manner
of man the great trainer was, but he going
the other way, and the dialogue not over
as he shot by 1t was an opportunity lost. may
never again meet him, or meet him when friend
tell me it is indeed he, and warn ne in time
10 study his features ] fancy he was smooth
shaven and / know he trains for the Duke of
Westminster, and has views about the reform of
the rules of racing, which the leading journal
deems worthy of publication. That the rules of
racing are in need Of reform, and that racing and
of those who practise it are in need of
reform. need not be doubted
But this is not the moment for moralizing.
1t is the moment for enjoying the blue sky and
the fresh air, fragrant with frs and pines, that
blows over the wide eXpanse Of Ascot Heath and
the movement and animation TO be seen every
Iof.
has become as crowded as Piccadiy: and with
some OF the same people and carriages, mingled
with others who in Piccadilly would seem TO
have gone hopelessly astray The riiTraf of the
racecourse converging upon the Heath. We
besct with them. The number of men with