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REMINISCENCES OF A VETERAN WRITER. II. P. Good, veteran Toronto sporting writer, who cohducts the "Old Timers" column on the sporting page of the Montreal Mail, writes in the following interesting vein: "It seems hard to imagine that I can remember the days on the turf of such men in England as Admiral Rous, George Payne. Lord Glasgow, Sir Joseph Hawley, Lord Palmerston, Count La Grange, Lord Derby the Rupert of Debate, Lord Hastings the sensational plunger. Richard Ten Broeck, and even John Gully, the famous prizefighter, whom later in Tom King, the one-time conqueror of Jem .Mace, tried to imitate, but with indifferent success. In those times we young men invariably had "a bit on" the great races, the Derby in particular, made up of threepenny pieces saved from from Nttihty wages. Such enthusiasts were we that short ly before the big FjlsOm event we were wont to buy and wear ties of tlie colors adopted by the owners oj" oqr favored horses. So little was thought then of our love of sport that if we wanted to see the races we had little difficulty in getting off. Never shall I forget the famous Derby of 1S07, won by the subsequently and now Right Hon. Henry Chaplin With Hermit. It has been said that the race was run in a snowstorm. A little snow did fall before the start, but it was very wet and drizzly. Thi !vent, however, was more remarkable for the controversy that raged between the partisans of Mr. Chaplin and the Marquis of Hastings, the latter of whom jiad run away right at the church doors with the formers Intended bride. As a crown to the edifice of sensationalism. Hermit burst a bloodvessel the day before the Tace, and receded to 55 to 1. And I had a sovereign on at those odds with, ii Yankee, of all people. It is not ditiicult to guess what that win meant to a youth, like Goldsmiths parson, passing rich on forty pounds a year. "Retting was much heavier and far more general at that period than it is today. With the general public, however, the wagering was confined almost entirely to the principal races and the transactions were not with that latter-day creation, the handbook man. but with reputable bookmakers, many of rwliom had otiices to which the money was remittal. I Valentine and Wright was a firm in those days niucn A esteemed aud patronized. Later on. the bookinaking W otijees were closed, the operators migrating to the Netherlands, and thence to Switzerland, from whence they have also been banished. "About all the men whose names have been mentioned stories have been told and the fame remains to old-timers. Admiral Rous was the sturdiest racing official and best handlcapper of his time. What Francis Nelson is to racing in Canada today the celebrated vice-admiral was then. To him is attributed the saying that All men are equal, on thi turf and under the turf. George Payne was born vvlth a silver or rather golden spoon in his mouth If ever a man was. At six years old his income was 1914.sh5,000 a year: when he was 15 it was 5,000 per annum and he had ,500,000 in the bank; when he came of age it had increased to 50,000 ever twelve months. The recklessness of his betting was phenomenal. Before he attained his majority he lost 05,000 on one St. Leger. Among the horses he owned was Musket, son of Toxophilite aud sire in Australia, of Carbine, imported to England by the Duke of Portland and sire of the Derm-winner Spearmint and other good victors. Mr. Payne in the last years of Lord Glasgows life managed that eccentric noblemans stud, winning many a race for him. The final transaction of note made by the man whose colors were known as the Payne -Tartan, being black and white squares, was on Sefton. win ner of the Derby in 1S78, over whiph George Payne won 00,000. Two months later he breathed his last at the good old age of 74. To him the saying is attributed that More people know Tom Fool than Tom Fool knows. Lord Glasgow was celebrated for the matches he made, for never, kiibwiug when he was beaten, for getting The Morning Posts racing correspondent Pavo ruled off Newmarket Heath, which means the turf, for making his colts and fillies earn names before christening them, and for shooting his horses rather than selling or giving them away. "It is not difficult to recall Sir JosqdIi Hawleys Derbv year, that following Hermits" victory, when Blue" Gown won aud an irate wife was represented in Punch as wanting to know what her husband meant bv talking in his sleep about Lady Elizabeth owned by the Marquis of Hastings in her Blue Gown with Green Sleeves, the latter being another Blue Riband candidate owned by Sir Joseph. As showing the light value put upon good horses in those lavs it can be mentioned that Teddlngton, the baronets first Derby winner., was bought with his dam. Miss Twiekeham, for 50 and another 50 If the colt won the big Epsoni race. Other classic winners owned by Sir Joseph were the famous Beadsman, bv Weatlierbit, and Musjid, by jfewminster. in successive years. In 1859 he retired from the turr prompted thereto by the fact that his horse Vagabond and jockey Wells were hissed on returning to scale because of non-success in the Great Metropolitan at Epsom. Count La Grange, whoso Gladia-teur, won the triple crown 2,000 guineas. Derby and St. Leger in 1S05. when Fllle de lAir, by Faugh a Ballach, sire of Leamington, Imported bv the late Sir Roderick Cameron, won the Oaks in 1SG4, experienced the same treatment. It was thought that the mare had been pulled in the race for the Two Thousand Guineas, run previously, and the mob instead of cheering the French "noblemans success furiously demonstrated. When Gladinteur. sou of Monarque. avenged Waterloo by winning the Derby, there was cheering, but when he won the St. Leger a manufacturer of gin claimed that he was another Running Rein, which was disqualified as a four-year-old in 1844, and had his mouth examined. Count La .Granges last classic victory was in the Sellinger of 1870 with Rayon dOr. a horse that W. L. Scott brought to America and that is responsible for many a winner."
