The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1894-01-17

and examine the various objects of art
end virtue which a long life and a con-
siderable success in my profession have
enabled me to collect together, would
no doubt be very much surprised TO hear
that OF all my treasures there is none so
dear 10 me as the bronze medallion that
lies enshrined with a crystal case on my
mantelpiece. Many OF my visitors have
glanced at ii, and turned away 10 ex-
anime a rare bit of carving or an al
most priceless example Of some forgotten
art To them the bronze medallion sug-
gested nothing; possibly they thought
If they gave the matter any thought at
aIl-that IL was some medal won in my
student days and therefore treasured
with care. That il represented whole
life history. and had the power TO re-
vive my strange memories. they had no
idea. Some people, perhaps. seeing it in
a place of honor among by knick-knacks.
may have fancied that it was something
for which l had the same supersutous
reverence that other men give TO a
horseshoe. The bronze medallion, how
ever. is neither a fetch nor nemento
Of an early artistic success; 1t is simply
an insignificant object, worth perhaps a
few shillings, which has played no small
part in my life. and on one occasion
saved me from a sudden and violent
death.
Thirty years ago, when was a young
man Of twenty-six, and had fame and
fortune still eluding me, was attached
TO the artistic staff of the Illustrated
Weekly. a journal which was just then
beginning a career of great success.
Black-and-white work was not then
what it is now; but people thought high
" Of the illustrations we were able 10
give them for sixpence, and there was no
lack Of encouragement for prOprietOrS
or artists. My own special forte was
animal life, as it always has been. From
the time when 1 could first hold pen
ell, I had spent my happiest moments
In drawing horses. To me a horse was
a creature OF infinite artistic pOssibill-
ties. L had drawn him sitting in the
ring Of a circus and galloplng at express
speed over a racecOurse, and it mattered
little TO me whether he was a high-bred
or a shaggy Shetland pony. 1 had al
ready begun 10 paint him in oils, and
my first picture. Young Horses at
Play was considered worthy of a place
in the academy. 1t was this success in
depicting horses that led the editor Of
the Illustrated Weekly to suggest that
-
a sketch of the st. Leger of that year.
There was some famous horse running
] forget his name for the moment-and
the public interest I'm the race was great
or than usual. Consequently, the propri-
etors determined to give a dOuble-page
Illustration to the scene and travelled
to DOncaster a day or two before the
event, and began my work by getting
an accurate idea of the racecourse, and
selecting a favorable standpoint froTa
which TO focus my sketch.
The day Of the great race came, and
during the morning j was busily occu-
pied In interviewing the various horses
engaged, and in filling my sketchbook
with bits that seemed likely 10 be use
full. When the afternoon came round and
the racing began, I made my way to
certain part Of the course which had
seemed 10 mo very we'll suited to my
purposes, and there I took up my stand.
There were two races to be run before
the St. Leger; and while these were be
ing got through, and during the inter
walls between them, I occupied myself
in watching the dOingS of the crowd
which filled the upper part Of the town
moor. There must have been 100000 peO-
pie present on the stands and in the
rings and on the moor. and from them
came d perfect babel Of sound, above
which the stentorian voices of the
bOOkmakers blended with the shrill cries
OF Catchpenny adventures Of all sorts.
Here two or three members Of the
three card-trick fraternity were en-
deavoring 10 gull a group of round
faced ruStlcs; there a similar gang were
shouting the praises Of a sort Of rou-
lette table; yOnder betting man had
screamed himself hOaTse, and was re-
duced to shaking the money in his bag
as means Of attracting attention. Be
yond the shouting. swaying, busting
crowd stretched a long line of vehicles
ing coach 10 the farmers light cart. and
on these men and women were eating
and drinking and discussing the pros
poets Of the faVorite for the great race.
Across the coarse rose the long line OF
stands, thicSly packed with fashionable
race-goeTs, and these made a dark back
ground TO the picture had in my minds
eye.
/ was noticing all these things, and
taking n sly sketch now and then of
some face or figure that attracted my
attention, when ] caught sight of a little
gentleman, evidently a Freedman, who
seemed very much out Of place among
the rough crowd. Tie was very neatly
dressed from top 10 toe, but as he passed
me 1 noticed that his black frOck-coat
was somewhat shiny at the shoulders
and that his carefully brushed hat had
certainly seen better days. He went in
and out among the crowd staring at
at the three-card fraternity. / thought
there was something wistful about his
eyes as he looked at the gold which
those gentry displayed so lavishly. Pres
emily I lost sight of him i'm the crowd:
but about ten minutes before the St.
Leger was TO be run / saw him again
He was engaged in confidential CONVEX
sation with an Individual whom ! set
down at once as a betting mans tout.
and against whose wiles and blandish-
ments I should have liked TO warn the
evidently innocent foreigner. Presently,
however. there was a great cry of
They've off, and l had to turn my at
tention TO the race.
However great the excitement and
however long it may have existed prior
to the event which rouses it. il takes
but a few very brief moments TO aHav
II forever. Within four minutes of the
cry Of They're off, the horses had
flashed past me and past the winning
post. and the great race was over. I
strciled around the crowd and amused
myself by watching the faces Of the Deo-
pie who had lost their money, and the
joyful manifestations of those who had
bet successfully. / passed beyond the
line Of carriages and carts, and walked
across the moor to the slight hill at the
bottom of the course from whence
there is an excellent view of the crowds
gathered before the stands. There were
very few people about the hill or the furze
bushes which cover IL. and things were
quiet there after the rear and hustle OF
the crowd. ] turned away TO the left in
tending TO go into the high-road and
walk back 10 the town: but L suddenly
paused and nesitated. for there, close