The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-10-07
ing forward to with . good deal OF
pleasure you may depend

ing forward to with . good deal OF
pleasure you may depend
Yes, was q proud man. can tell
you, that December morning. when ac-
companied By few chosen friends, all
in the know" and in high spirits at
getting on real good thing" as they
termed it, ut long price, we started
from the club IN . succession of cabs
bound to Waterloo station en- route to
Sandown.
When 1 thought. too. OF the OPEN
hearted way I had impaired the secret
TO everybody knew, from my own per-
my lodgings and the servants at the
club, / felt quite philanthropist.
There should be no coming up to me
with reproachful looks, and Il say, old
chappie, do think you might hare put
an old friend on to the good thing
'pon my soul do" OF that was de-
terlaihed. There is nothing mean or
selfish about me, thank goodness. On
dear, no.
Arrived at Sandown. we first of all
proceeded IN a body 20 the paddock,
where l introduced ny friends to Come
by Chance = who, with stable boy on
his back and led by my groom, was
walking round and round in his accus-
toned, old-fashioned manner. We then
made tracks for the stand.
The Tally-ho steeplechase stood third
on the card, and it looked healthy"
for our luck, as one of my friends re-
marked when we spotted the successive
winners of the two preceding events, q
selling steeplechase and hunters
hurdle.
We went in body to the paddock to
see our horse saddled, in higher spirits
than ever. Alas! we little thought, as
chatteriug and laughing we passed
through the paddock gate, how uncere-
monio usly our mirth was about to be
dispelled, and our joy turned to woe
We were met the moment we set foot
into the inclosure by little C apt. Copper
(quite the best OF the soldiersl. who
was to ride Come by Chance with
face as white nearly as the cap he
wore.
II say, old feller," he exclaimed.
rushing up, there's the devil 10 pay
over yonder." pointing, as he spoke.
with his whip 20 the far eud of the pad
dock where my horse was.
There's bucolic party" he went
on, swearing the horse is his. and Sd
far from being a maiden he's won half
the steeplechases in England He was
stolen from his place six months ago,
so he says, and-but there, for heavens
sake, come and see the cove yourself
! don't understand it, dashed i do."
AS pale in the face by this time as
my poor little friend. Copper. 1 hurried
off, best pace, to learn the worst Sure
enough, when l elbowed my way
through the crowd collected round my
horse, there was a stout. red-faced per-
son of horsey appearance, evidently In
rabid state of excitement, haranguing
the lookers-on generally and my unhap-
py groom in particular in most aggres-
sive fashion.
'Oh, here you be ut last then, be
you?" was his insolent greeting as I
came up.
Il am Mr.. Somerfeld, If that's what
you mean," said /, loftily. ''Whst
might you want?"
''Wot might 1 want? Haw-haw--
haw, that's good 'un, too, that isp'
roared red face. ''Wot might want,
indeed? Why, want my 'oss, to bc
sure-my 'oss, as was stolen six months
ago from my place near Barnet, where
he was turned out to grassland wot's
more. / mean to have him"
"'Come by Chance your horse?" I
stammered.
'"To be sure he is" was the confident
reply at least Barnacles is-that's his
proper name. Here's his description