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VICEROY CUP WEEK IN INDIA India is essentially a racing country Horseflesh is comparatively cheap and si number of the Anglo Indians who at home scarcely could afford to pay i trainers wages lind themselves able to compete with men of incaiis Tlie sporting subaltern in f native regiment runs his horses at race meetings all over the country and the jiinidr civilian disports himself in like manner The rajahs and maharajahs too are kceu on securing the various cups especial ¬ ly those offered at the more important meetings And if the colored otentate carries off the blue ribbon of the liidian turf the Viceroys Cup he con ¬ siders himself the most fortunate of sportsmen In fact it is the ainbitjon of every AngloIndian and native owner to win this muchsoughtafter trophy That is why tlie entries for the Viceroys Cup in ¬ clude horsis from the bestknown stables in India IndiaThe The race is rrin at Calcutta during Christinas week on the plcturuiujuii race course whicli forms part of tlie Maidajii Exiles from all over the country put in au ajipearaiice Indeed indigo and tea planters and others who inhabit the most recon ¬ dite places in tlie Indian empire save up for many months ia advance that they may do themselves well during the wipk The event also draws of ¬ ficers Judges joint magistrates district superin ¬ tendents of police and opiumWallahs from near dud far while the railway man who has been on con ¬ struction for pome tune past takes the opportunity to again Vrub slmjildersVwjth the civilization of Cal ¬ cutta The yiceJioy arijl the lieutenantgovernor accompanied by thisif1 siiites put lit an appearunce highlyplaced governiiient otticlals come by the dozen a sprinkling of globetrotters is contributed by the various hotels and from early in the morn ¬ ing till lute at flight the Cup is the sole topic of conversation Merchaiifs almost forgot to buy and sell the jute trade practically is at a standstill the clerks in the bank scarcely can be depended iiKin to add two and two correctly the high court judge cannot takehls lriiud off the pleasures of the afternoon and the brokers think only of the odds against the favorite vEveii tlie European shopkeep ¬ ers shut up shop they recognize that with all the world at the races they might just as well be there too tooOwing Owing to the huge influx of visitors every pub ¬ lic conveyance in the place is in demand Indeed so well dp the native drivers of the gharris real ¬ ize the possibilities of the situation that after om oclock they will accept fares only from those who wish to be driven to the races Even if they are proceedjiig in another direction toward one oclock they turn their horses beads in the direction of Old Court House street flr Chowriiighee where they are certain to find numbers of holidaymaking Euro ¬ peans each ready 16 outbid the other No matter iiow much the original hirer may remonstrate the gharriwallahs know that they will make enougli during the afternoon toamply compensate them for any police court proceedings which may be brquglit against them In this connection many entertaining stories are told of distinguished generals and other noted AngloIndians arriving at the railway station to lind themselves obliged to take ail ekka a fiendishly uncomfortable form of native cart Some have even had to walk the whole distance to the course through clouds of dust and under the blazing eastern sun sunPerhaps Perhaps the riiost interesting thing about the meeting Is its extraordinary cosmopolitan aspect In the chief enclosure whicli is reserved for mem ¬ bers of the Calcutta Tiirf Club and for those wiio care to pay several rupees for a ticket of admis ¬ sion haildsome Sikh maharajahs hud other notable native potentiates1 are to be found rubbing shoul ¬ ders with liroitzeil and warworn staff otiicers arid men upon whose shoulders lies the weight of empire Bearded Afghans dressed in voluminous pajama like troupers gohleinbroidered slippers long fur coats arid enormous white turbans above which is the blue diid gold kula cap look with contempt at undersized Bengalee bankers Burmese financial magnates in gay silks bet with Chinese business men from Singapore nnd Penang arid Malay country produce dealers who wear pink petticoats and equally gaudy jackets stare openeyed at every ¬ body ami everything everythingOn On the other side of the course is a smaller and less expensive enclosure where the sVrgeants from the regiihents stationed in the fort and at Dum Duin foregather One may also see there Parsees wearing their remarkable national headdress ships ollicers froiiv the various passenger steamers anchored in the river illoogly Muliwurl money lenders gay in their best attire arid covered with jewelry native students crammed with more sedition than knowl ¬ edge Australian horsecopers ami Eurasian stable helps lascars and a picturesinie native ragtag and lioltail lioltailThe The course itself Is lined by thousands of Indians among whom is to be found a sprinkling of visitors from the farthcsteast maiiy of whom have a tritle on each race Should the favorite win they burst iutohrill shouts of delight but if a rank outsider romps in the winner they howl with aiiger and ex ¬ citedly declare tlmttlieir own particular fancy must have been pulled pulledShortly Shortly before the Viceroys Cup is run the vlei L ivgalciiuipaiu lilijrilie seen liowling along the Maldait road Their excellencies thi viceroy and vicereine ns the Yankees have it sit facing the horses the back seat being occupied by one of the family and by the aidedecamp in waiting who is in undress uniform The carriage is drawn by four horses with postillions who Wear scarlet jack Kefs white helmets which after sundown are ex ¬ changed for black velvet hunting caps and top boots The bodygUMrdrbrilliaut in scarlet and gold and commanded by a British oflicer escorts the equipage and other carriages bearing the viceregal guests bring up the rear rearThe The cortege is received at the entrance to the grandstand enclosure by the race stewards who conduct the party to the seats reserved for them When the latter have taken their places the viceroy sends messages to various iK rsons whom he proposes I honoring with a few minutes conversation and during the afteriipouJig and his entourage inspect the cup and show themselves in the paddock saddling enclosure enclosureIn In thisconiiectionan entertaining story is told of a certain viceroy wlk understood more of states ¬ manship than of sport Upori viewing the cup a few minutes l efore the race was run he sent for the jeweler who had made it and congratulated him upon his slclll and taste adding that there was only one thing wanting to make his work complete The obsequious tradesman smirked arid regretted that he had by an oversight omitted anything that might have afforded his patroii greater satisfaction at the same time wondering what could possibly be amiss However he wus not long left in doubt for the vice ¬ roy pointing to the space which had been left for the winners name ingeniously remarked Why havent you shown the name of the winning animal The astonished spectators did their best riot to laugh and his excellency congratulating himself on his shrewdness in teaching the jeweler his business re ¬ turned to his wife greatly pleased with himself But his triumph was shortlived for upon bis tell ¬ ing her what had transpired she promptly enlight ¬ ened him Half an hour later the story was all over the course arid within a week it was a topic of conversation at every club in the country countryThe The Cup race having been run the viceroy and his party accompanied by the bodyguard return to Gov ¬ ernment llouse aiiil soon afterward many others leave But those who are determined to have their moneys worth Stay till the bitter end driving In the twilight to the bandstand where hundreds of barouches and dogcorts of every description are drawn up in lines thus enabling their occupants to listeri to the latest musicalcomedy monstrosities as performed by a soiriewhat indifferent orchestra The evening is devoted to dinner parties at which the men discuss the race in all its bearings the womeii confining their interest to chiffon George Cecil in Canadian Sportsman
