Useful in being a Cricketer.

Manawatu Herald, 12 November 1898, Page 2

Useful in being a Cricketer.

A member of the Levin eleven travelled fo Foxton on Wednesday morning in bis own vehicle, and b'iDg a family man thoughtfully brought bis wife and children with him. A good trap horse was not amongst his many possessions and therefore he had to rely upon that curious animal, a hired horse, which is represented as being good all round until you find out the difference. The start was all right bat when a certain distance had been travelled the animal showed s'gnj of exhaustion, or, at any rate, a disinclination to proceed at any pace but that fitting for a funeral. The cricketer thought that a smart •ouch of the whip would improve imtters— and tried it— but the horse thought differently and drove bis ill hind leg into the body of the trap! ~ B It is at this poiot we want a 1 steady

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attention so that the heading of this paragraph may be appreciated. To the driver the idea of a horse thrusting one of his hinder limbs into such close proximity to those near, and dear to him, and being, as we noted before, a cricketer, aroused him to instant action, and viewing the hind hoof as a ball driven by a Stiles at the wicket, immediately caught it l" and to make sure it should not be withdrawn, sat upon it, and in spite of the steed's objection retained it where the horse had pleased himself in putting it, until his wife and children had got safely out of the trap. No one but a cricketer would have thought of catching a horse out, and thus the knowledge of the manly game came in most useful. Luck attends those who help themselves, and owing to the timely arrival of a friend with a horse, an exchange was made, enabling the driver to reach town in time to do his share for his side.