Lor bless ye, there wasn't no risk:
I knew if I gave 'er 'er head, sir,
That "Painted Lady" would whisk
Like a rocket through all the horses,
And win in a fine old style,
With "the field" all a-tailin' behind 'er
In a kind of a' Indian file.

* * * * *

You didn't know old Josh Grinley--
"Old Josh o' the Whitelands Farm,"
As his father had tilled afore 'im,
And his afore 'im.--No harm
Ever touched one of the Grinleys
When the 'Ollingtons owned the lands;
But they ruined themselves through racing,
And it passed into other hands.
Ain't ye heard how Lord 'Ollington died, sir,
On that day when "Midlothian Maid"
Broke down when just winning the "Stewards'"?
Every farthing he'd left was laid
On the old mare's chance; and vict'ry
Seemed fairly within his grasp
When she stumbled--went clean to pieces.
With a cry of despair--a gasp--
Lord 'Ollington staggered backwards;
A red stream flowed from his mouth,
And he died--with the shouts ringing round him:
"Beaten by Queen o' the South!"
But I'm going on anyhow,--ain't I?
I began about my ride;
And I'm talking now like a novel
Of how Lord 'Ollington died.

Don't ask me to tell how I'm bred, sir;
Put my "pedigree" down as "unknown,"
But a good 'un to go when he's "wanted,"
From whatever dam he was thrown.
Old Joshua--he's been my mother
And father all rolled into one;--
It was 'im as bred and trained me;
Got me "ready" and "fit" to run.
It's been whispered he saved my life, sir--
Picked me up one winter's night,
Wrapped up in a shawl or summat,--
The tale's like enough to be right.
It's just what he would do,--bless 'im!
Yes, I owed every atom to him:
So you'll guess how I felt that mornin',
When, with eyes all wet and dim,
He told me the new folk would give 'im
But two weeks to pay his arrears;
Then he cried like a little child, sir.
When I saw the old fellow's tears,
My young blood boiled madly within me;
I knew how he'd struggled and fought
'Gainst years of bad seasons and harvests;
How nobly but vainly he'd sought
To make both ends meet at the "Whitelands."
"They never will do it!" I cry.