The fact of the matter is she is a roarer, or will be before the
season is over, and those who backed her will have to whistle for
their money. All I can say is, that I hope they will like the trap
into which their own patent-leather-headed imbecility has led them.

_Corncrake_ is a nice, compact, long-coupled, raking-looking colt,
with a fine high action that reminds me of a steam-pump at its best.
He is not likely to bring back much of the L3000 given for him as
a yearling by his present owner, but he might be used to make the
running for his stable-companion _Catsmeat_, who was picked up for L5
out of a butcher's cart at Doncaster.

For the Two Thousand I should have selected _Barkis_ if he had been
entered. Failing him, there is very little in it. _Sandy Sal_ might
possibly have a chance, but she has always turned out such an arrant
rogue that I hesitate to recommend her. Mr. JEREMY plumps for _Old
Tom_, and the whole pack of brainless moon-calves goes after him
in full cry as usual. If _Old Tom_ had two sound legs he might be
a decent horse, but he has only got one, and he has never used that
properly.

* * * * *

[Illustration: A TRAVELLING TRIBUNAL.

Why not Cyclist Judges and Clerk and Marshal going all the year round,
to be met by local Barristers?]

* * * * *

THE CHILDREN'S FANCY DRESS BALL.

ALL the grate LORD MARE'S and the good Lady Maress's hundreds and
hundreds of little frends had their annual peep into Paradice last
Wensday heavening, at the good old Manshun Howse, on which most
interesting ocashun all their fond Mas and their stump-upping Pas sent
them into the famous Egipshun All in such a warious combenashun of
hartistick loveliness and buty as ewen I myself never seed ekalled!
Whether it was the rayther sewere coldness of the heavening, or the
niceness of the seweral refreshments as the kind Lady Maress perwided,
or whether it was that most on 'em was amost one year older than they
was larst year, in course I don't know, but they suttenly kept on a
pitching into the wittels and drink in a way as rayther estonished
ewen my seasoned eyes, acustomed as they is to Copperashun Bankwets,
and settra. One little bewty of a Faery, with her lovely silwer wand
of power, amost friten'd me out of my wits by thretening to turn
me into sumthink dredful if I didn't give her a strawbery hice
emedeately, which she fust partly heated, and then dr