The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-09-05
IF NOT KING OF ENGLAND THE
PRINCE MAY BECOME KING OF
THE TURF.
THIRTY ODD YEARS A PATRON
HIS COLORS HAVE OFTEN Jagged
IN DEFEAT, BUT NOW THEY
SURELY LEAD.
HE is A SLAYER OF TIGERS, TOO.
WithaI. Elephants and Other Big
Game Have Fallen Victims to
His Skill.
;necia, corresnondence of the Globe.

Special Correspondence of the Globe.
LONDON, Aug. 23.-It is no secret
that the Prince of Wales is sports
man. Old King George " never loved
the element Of chance more than this
scion of royalty. So it is that this out
line of the princes favoite out of door
recreations, probably presented for the
first time to American eyes, will inter-
est.
There are few, bearing in mind the
modest commencement of the Prince
of Wales racing stud, who would have
thought it probable that within COM
paratively short period his royal high
ness would be fortunate enough to Sc
cure the highest honors of the turf
That the Prince of Wales should have
captured the prize and the coveted
Leger at the first attempt was delight
full in the extreme, but in some respects
the Ascot cup victory of Persim-
mon a month ago. and on the eve OF
the Diamond jubilee celebrations, be-
came even more pleasant to look back
upon.
The Prince of Wales has been more
~
and thirty years, although his
first visits to the race course were
more earlier than that. AS little boy
he saw some of our finest thorough
breds at Epson and Ascot,and nowhere
Is he more at home than upon his hack
at Newmarket Heath. When student
at Oxford he hunted with Lord Mac
clesfield's hounds, and later on, over
the Badminton, and the Quorn and
Cottesmore during Lord Carrington's
mastership) countries, his royal high
ness proved himself thoroughly at his
ease while the West Norfolk hounds
have always found him a generous
supporter.
A writer describing the princes first
day in the Midlands, during his visit
to Earl Spencer, at Althorp, said:
lone good hour did they run during
which his royal highness was certain
ly not like candle under a bushel.
Everybody who had not to much to
care for in himself paid marked atten-
ton to his performance, and it is not
too much to say that if ever man
acquitted himself to the satisfaction
of his examiners the Prince of Wales
did so on that eventful morning.
"I do not transgress confidence in
quoting the expressions of a very hard
rider and very good judge: There
are few young squires, bred and born
in a hunting country, who could
hold their own with his royal high
ness''' 1t was in respect of this days
sport that Lord Spencer asked Charles
Payne, the huntsman Of the Pytchley.
what he thought of the Prince of
Wales. make a capital king, my
lord" said Payne. I'm glad you say
so-and why?" asked Lord Spencer.
"Sure to, sure to do that-he sits so
WE'LL" responded the huntsman. Dur
ing his visits to various country seats
the prince has often been out with the
hounds of the district, and for some
time after his fathers death he kept
on the barriers at Cumberland lodge.
His interest in hunting and hunting
men has never tagged.
Some interesting stories are told Of
that famous hunting parson, the late
Jack" Russell, in relation to visit
he paid to Mr.. Harry Villebois at
Markham hall. when the Prince of
Wales and a distinguished company
were the guests. The veteran sports
man had an opportunity Of enjoying
himself with the West Norfolk pack,
and his royal highness did him the
honor Of inviting him to Sandringham.
So agreeable was this visit to all con-
eerned that. the West country sports
man was asked again in the Christ
mas week, and plumed himself might
fly upon having danced the old year
out and the new year in with the
Prince Of Wales at the tenants ball
nimble accomplishment for man
of seventy-eight years Of age.
He amused the royal party consider
ably one day at dinner by sending his
plate UP for fish the second time,
when" as he remarked, 81 remember
that's the very thing my wife charged
me- on leaving home, not to do" A
third visit to Sandringham was subse-
quently paid, and it was the intention
of the prince-frustrated only by illness
in the royal household-to have had a
few days with Mr.. Russell and the De-
Won and Somerset staghounds. Prep
arations had already been made for him
at Dunster castle when the postpone
ment of the trip was announced.
1t may, however, be truly said that
his royal highness has had experience