leends, the butler--'delirius tremendous,'
as Bottleends called it, having quite incapacitated Sir Harry--wrote off
for champagne from this man, sherry from that, turtle from a third, turbot
from a fourth, tea from a fifth, truffles from a sixth, wax-lights from
one, sperm from another; and down came the things with such alacrity, such
thanks for the past and hopes for the future, as we poor devils of the
untitled world are quite unacquainted with. Nay, not content with giving
him the goods, many of the poor demented creatures actually paraded their
folly at their doors in new deal packing-cases, flourishingly directed
'TO SIR HARRY SCATTERCASH, BART., NONSUCH HOUSE, &c. _By Express
Train_.' In some cases they even paid the carriage.

And here, in the midst of love, luxury, and fox-hunting, let us for a time
leave our enterprising friend, Mr. Sponge, while we take a look at a
species of cruelty that some people call 'sport.' For this purpose we will
begin a fresh chapter.

CHAPTER LXVII

HOW THEY GOT UP THE 'GRAND ARISTOCRATIC STEEPLE-CHASE'

There is no saying what advantages railway communication may confer upon a
country. But for the Granddiddle Junction, ----shire never would have had a
steeple-chase--an 'Aristocratic,' at least--for it is observable that the
more snobbish a thing is, the more certain they are to call it
aristocratic. When it is too bad for anything, they call it 'Grand.' Well,
as we said before, but for the Granddiddle Junction, ----shire would never
have had a 'Grand Aristocratic Steeple-Chase.' A few friends or farmers
might have got up a quiet thing among themselves, but it would never have
seen a regular trade transaction, with its swell mob, sham captains, and
all the paraphernalia of odd laying, 'secret tips,' and market rigging. Who
will deny the benefit that must accrue to any locality by the infusion of
all the loose fish of the kingdom?

Formerly the prize-fights were the perquisite of the publicans. They it was
who arranged for Shaggy Tom to pound Harry Billy's nob upon So-and-so's
land, the preference being given to the locality that subscribed the most
money to the fight. Since the decline of 'the ring,' steeple-chasing, and
that still smaller grade of gambling--coursing, have come to their aid.
Nine-tenths of the steeple-chasing and coursing-matches are got up by
inn-keepers, for the good of their houses. Some of the town publicans,
indeed, seem to think that the country w