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PECULIARITIES OF TRAINER BILLY PIERSE Was an Astute Peacemaker Liked Nice Caps and Had a Keen Tongue Among the Yorkshire trainers of the early Vic ¬ torian era there was none more amusiiis than Billy Pierse Billy owed the greater part of his prosperity to his wife If ever I saved a shilling my wife saved sixpence he used to say Mrs Pierse took an active part in the management of the stable and it was said she had the quicker eye of the two for discovering anything wrong In a horse with a walkingstick In her hand and ah old cqnncli bonnet on her head she would stand at the door of the house every morning and watch each horse as It left the yard and if she called out I say turn him back mini that horse Is leame there was no mistake about It ItBillys Billys only interference in household matters was to insist upon a roast goose every Sunday dur ¬ ing the season and buying twice as much nieat as was required the overplus of which his good hearted helpmate gave to the poor poorIn In his earlier days Billy was in the front rank of jockeys and renowned as a powerful finisher and judge of pace He hated quarrelling and was a wonderful peacemaker Mr Tomline the judge at Richmond Yorks used to tell how cleverly Plerse stopped a quarrel lietween two Jockeys who had ridden a punishing finish and got to high words about the Issue Trotting back past the chair to weigh In he called out How far did I win Mr Tomline You Mr Pierse why you were beat three lengths was the answer answerOh Oh said Billy with a polite bow thank ye sic that alters the case arid his manner was so comical that lie set both disputants luugliing and so ended tlie row ilis rowilis whole reading was confined to the Bible and Adam Smiths Wealth of Nations He went through each abont thirty times and in the winter would sit for hours together poring over the abstruse subject of political economy Billy certainly knevc how to make a bargain When he wanted some new clothes for his stable boys he would go up to Man ¬ chester give the cord merchants a few tips and come back with enough corduroy in exchange to last the stables a year He once dined and slept at the house of one of these merchants After he had gone to bed the host heard sounds of distress proceeding from his room On going thither lie found Billy pacing up and down the room arrayed in a long night gown and evidently In great dis ¬ tress Oh sir he said my wifes forgot i i to put i me In a night cap and cant sleep without one This want was i Soon supplied These are very high beda ot yours sir obv
