LITERATURE.

Globe, Volume XXIII, Issue 2360, 26 October 1881, Page 4

LITERATURE.

A BOLAND FOR AN OLIVER.; I am not a racing man myself, but amongst n:y friends are a good many sporting characters. Nothing give® me greater pleasure than to sifc in their oompliny, and listen to their marvellous tales. Candidly, lot me say that at first I was inclined to be somewhat hard of belief as to much that I hoard, so wondrous were the rehearsals. But, bit by bit, I became a firm believer in the wonderful ways of racing and racing men, and satisfied am I that the old saying of truth being stranger than fiction was never more amply verified than in connection with Turf hiotory. Could any veteran Turfite be induced to do that which Solomon wished his enemy to attempt, namely to write a book, and in that volume state nothing but truths which had come within his own experience, the universal verdict would be that at last a greater than Munchanaon had appeared. My own knowledge is comparatively trifling, and yet were I to give utterance to one tithe of what I know to he abiolute and hard fact, I would be cr -dited with possessing a very lively imagination, and with not being ashamed freely to draw upon it. Jack Brentwood and myself as school fellows were chosen chums, and, contrary to general rale, wo continued cronies after out birching days wore at an end. Oar friendship was not of the mythical Damon and Pythias stylo, but was more practical, and none the less sincere. In a monetary emergency wo could depend upon each other, and that In these matter of fact days is the highest test of genuine friendliness, as opposed to reputed sincerity. Neither of us was wealthy, but Jack was what might be considered well to do. I was slowly mounting the ladder of Government proportion, my services being devoted to a department of her Majesty’s executive which was sadly overstocked, and, as I thought, grievously underpaid. But the work, if nnromunerative, was not hard, and much of my leisure time was passed at Jack’s place in the country. For Jack had inherited a capital farm in the Mi Bands, and as he had in addition a sure £350 a lyear coming from consols, ha was in strong request in the neighbourhood, particularly amongst those who had eligible damsels to be disposed of. A visit to his place was to me a round of pleasure, and at least threo or four times each year I occupied one of the bedrooms of Hiilhouse Farm. I was well known to moat of .his friends, who as a rule wore famous fellows, and when with sisters and cousins they paid their annual metropolitan visit, I used to act as chaperone, taking them round and showing the lions. The excessive zsst and freshness with which the male bucolics went in for London enjoyments was to me amusing, and as they could not understand an ordinary specimen of humanity, even if resident in the mighty capital, caring little for such recreations, they gradually began to view me as one of those careful and shrewd customers whose advice is generally worth following. And bear in mind it really was, for many of my spire hours had been spent in studying men and manners, and I rather fancied myself as an apt pupil in the Machiavellian school.

With a rec’nt importation into Jack’s neighbourhood I could not get on at all. His name was Herbert Dangerfield, Ho to all appearance lived on his means, and made an esprclal point of being on good terms with tbe local banker, a circumstance which has a capital effect upon the rustic mind, and of which ha seemed to bo perfectly aware. He had taken a small place some five or six months before the date of this story, but although he kept two good hunters he was not up to much outside of a horse. His manner just suited the district, but to me there Boomed more Dutch metal than gold about hia polish. He was grand company, load and pronounced in manner, and, what •was unusual in the locality, had never been »een out of temper. Now this is a hobby of mine. I don’t like a man who cannot get Into a good healthy passion now .and again. In nine cases out of ten he is afraid to do bo, depend upon it, lest he lets out something which ha wishes to be kept secret. However, ho was a prime favourite with Jack and the other tillers of the soil, and during the winter there had been tremendous goings on at the different farms of the members of the clique. Dinners, suppers, and card parties had been again and again prolonged far into the morning hoars, and of these Dangerfield was the life and soul. Of the money lest and won at cards no one kept an account, but when one day I compelled Jack to think the matter over, it began to dawn upon him as well as myself that Mr Herbert Dangerfield must have been £3OO or £IOO the richer by these periodical flutters. Loo was tho chief game, although now and again lansquenet and ecarto were had recourse to. At eoarte I particularly fancy myself, and one night Dangerfield and myself had a set to. To pnt It mildly, I soon saw I was overmatched. When an opponent out of every three deals can turn up the king twice, and have him In his hand on the remaining occasion, It is only natural to reason that, if not too clover, he is at least too lucky for an ordinary player. So I reasoned, and so reasoning, 1 speedily relinquished the unequal strife. Hillhome Farm was in the centre of a Bp’endid hunting country, and Jack and his compeers were all good men and true in the S'ddlt and at the cover. One thing that to mo was gratifying was that all of them allowed their love of horseflesh to bo re striated to hunting, and did not, as ia too often the ease, aho affect racing. Honest, straightforward, and impulsive—they were just the very class of men whom the Turf would have smashed up in no time. In the habit of saying what they thought, chicanery and finesse had no place in their code, end to the designing spirits of the King they cculd not fail to fallen a ready p; 07. Rut, although there were numerous, and not nnimportant, race meeting all around them, and although these meetings thfy all attended regularly, neither Jack nor any of his friends, to my certain knowledge, h.d ever speculated more than a ‘ fiver' upon any horse race in the world. A grand trait this in their character, and one which, like charity, covered a multitude of minor Bins.

Gianmode races were the great event of the year in the Blllhonse district. They took place at the termination of the hunting season, and extended over two days, and for years I had never failed to pay Jack a visit and be present at thorn. The least important event in the programme was to ns the most interesting, for it was a Hunters’ Kaco, open to the neighborhood only, and Jack and his friends had generally scmething doing battle. This season he owned the one that was expected to prove the winner, a magnificent 1C hands bay horse, called Sir Roland, and a young sporting squire of the neighborhood, who was to have the mount, was in ecstasies about his winning prospects. Hillhoufco Farm was generally well patronized during raoo time, and when I arrived the preceding evening I saw that, in spite of an apparently assumed gaiety, my host was ill at ease. This puzzled me, as he was ever in the best of spirits, and it was not till well on in the nighs that ho acquainted mo with his troubles.

Au evening or two before thia one of their canal card parties had taken place, and, as waa too often the case, the sederunt did not coma to an end till well nigh tho time when daylight doth apper.-. AU were in capital spirits, and as the morning advanced more and more freely waa the flowing bowl quaffed, so that nearly every one waa a practical illustration of tho existence of that enp which inebriates as well as cbeors. Glanmedo Races, of course, soon came above board, and the Hunters’ Stake was over and over again discussed Opinion waa almost unanimous as to Sir Boland’s success, and a fresh bottle waa drawn to Jack and hia thoroughbred. At this stage Dangorfield put in some disparaging remarks, which led to a noisy and heated dissuasion, and ere long he succeeded in doing what he no doubt intended, and gave Jack the needle. All preposterous aorta of beta were proposed, and how it came - about none of them could exactly say. but Jack, with a sort of drunken gravity, offered to bat Dangorfield £SOO level that Sir Roland woa, and, to the consternation of every one, tho bet was accepted. Persuaticu was useless—Jack would bot, and out of sheer bravado offered to double qhe amount, which offer was again accepted. The wagers were duly entered and initialed, and the party soon afterwards broke up. Next day Jack waa in sore distress when told of his tolly. Tho Idea of him, whose investments had never exceeded £5, betting a cool £IOOO, waa langhablo If it had not been so serious The friends thought that when mentioned Dangorfield would at once

scratch the bet, and to that worthy gentleman they accordingly repaired. Not he; business was business, a bet was a bet, and he meant to stand by it. In vain did they attempt to dissuade him, but it was useless. Said they, ‘ Brentwood was drunk, you know he never bets abovo a ‘ fiver,’ the idea of h's betting £IOOO is ridicul us, Ac.’ No go, tho bet was made, and the bet would stand. For the next day or two Dangerfield’s character was not viewed in tho most favorable light, and where before there had been cordiality, there was now'coolness. When told tho foregoing I was not surprised. My friend was clearly In a dilemma, and what puzzled mo most was a circumstance that had been strangely overlooked by all of them. They wore sure In the ring to bet G to 4 on Sir Boland ; why then should Dangerfiold be so anxious to stand by • a bet of which ho had so much tho worst ? • Depend upon it something is wrong,’ saidl, ‘and that we must try to discover and circumvent.’ The race was not till the Friday, and Thursday had yet to intervene. Jack that day was not the Jack of yore, and many wondered at his low spirits when tomorrow’s success was almost assured. Amonget the company present I was pleased to see a noted London sportsman and owner of racehorses, with whom I was on speaking terms. To him I confided Jack's case. He looked grave, and was sure my friend’s prospects were not worth much. At h:s request I pointed oat Dangerfield, but he did not know him. *ls the rider all right V he then asked, and my reply arsnring him on that point, he kept muttering, ‘ Strange, strange. There’s a robbery somewhere, but how the devil are we to get at it, eh ? However, do nothing till I s e you, and meantime introduce me to your friend Brentwood.’ I loft them in earnest confab, trying to hope against hope, and think that all would come right. ( To he continued.)