The marrying man against the racing man- -"heads" for the turf, and down it came for matrimony in the shape of a woman. A breeder of the forbidden fruit, as if to support me in my good resolution, very politely became " deceased "just at the time, and into his catalogue went "my first love." At the end of the year, with a staring coat and a bandaged leg, she was put up, and knocked down for fifty minus what I had originally paid over for her on the gallant captain's account. No matter, I was married, and one propensity had to suffer for the other.

Whether 'twas the want of a race-horse or not, I won't pretend to say; but certainly, somehow or other, I seemed to run on pretty well as a Benedick. Drank a little, smoked a little, went to church a little, and got the credit for certain other small virtues of the same kind. So well, indeed, did I behave, that, as if in return for the couple of ponies I had sacrificed at the sale, aunty stood "Sam" for a pair of gallowaysfourteen hands, even steppers, swish tails, small heads, and all " commy fow." These went a great way towards pleasing everybody; made my half-hunter a whole one outright, and gave the ladies a taste for horseflesh I hoped might improve. And so it did, for when the autumn came again, and the races came again, they volunteered at once for a drive to the course, and so of course to the course we went. There's a very fine line to draw with the world between going to a race and keeping a racehorse

"I thought so once, but now I know it!"

Well, how d'ye do? What's to win the Handicap ?" Third race on the card, and the race of the day. Two Newmarketers, an elegant extract from Goodwood, another from Danebury, and, strange enough, my old venture, the Mountain Maid (now the property of a Mr. Smith,) going for it. Even on Newmarket; three to one against John Day, and anything you like to ask from a pound of Goold to a pewter-pot about the plater. She's well in too-5 yrs. 7st. llb., and just her distance-two miles and a half-shouldn't wonder to see her wear 'em out now, if the leg don't give. And Sam Mann again, in the old pink and white jacket, going to ride her.

"How d'ye do, Mr. Mann ?"

"How do you do, sir? Hope I see you well."

"Pretty well, thank you. So you're going to make play with the old mare, I hear?"

Why, yes, sir; keep her in front as long as we can."

And keep her in front he did. First time passed the stand with a clear lead, and going well within herself.

"Ah! she'll come back to 'em by next time," sneered the even bettors.

But she didn't, though. "Never reached her at all, sir." Won in a canter by three lengths, and the third beaten half a distance!

"Tally-ho!" roared the second steward as he galloped by our station. "Tally-ho!" echoed somebody else, quite as loud, though he wasn't a steward at all; and then commenced " a scene round my little carriage, which the Derby homeward reporters would phrase as one "that beggars description." For the first few seconds or so, I felt much inclined to play Ducrow on the backs of the ponies-why, I'm sure I can't say.

Then I snapt the crop of my whip in endeavouring to send it safe home -how, I'm sure I don't know; and then up rolled Primeport, the wine-merchant, with a couple of champagne bottles in one hand, half-adozen glasses neck-and-neck in the other, and the cork-screw between his teeth.

"Wish you joy, old fellow-can't shake hands with you just yet, though. How d'ye do, ladies? This is pleasant, isn't it? Happy as queens, I can see.

And after him, over the ropes, came young Broughton, the doctor, and nearly over the heads of the ponies as well. "Took twenty to one to a fiver about her three minutes before starting-won a hundred clear. Ah! Miss MacRoberts, lucky dog, isn't he? Won't abuse the racehorses now-ch, ladies?"

But "the ladies" were evidently nonplussed, and their conductor somewhat confused. What could it all be to them.

66

66

Who is he?" inquired my wife; " point him out to us.'

Yes, do show us this fortunate Mr. Smith," joined in Miss MacRoberts.

"Show you who?" said Primeport, who was grinding away at a bottle between his knees; "show you this Mr. Smith, yes that I will in a twinkling. Here he stands as large as life, and twice as happy, the husband of that sweet lady, and the real owner of the Mountain Maid. Had her on the quiet, you see, all through, and now she's gained him two hundred and twenty-five pounds at one start. Prove it in a minute. Fifteen small forfeits-five times five, seventy-five-then two at fifteen cach, that's thirty more, a hundred and five-and fifty ad

But just here the enthusiastic ready-reckoner stopped short; there was something going on, he for one, never bargained for. Miss Mac. had become a body of ice, quite as quick as ever Mrs. Lot took to the pillar of salt; and my little woman certainly evinced every disposition, as the actors say, to play up to her. Secrets are quite a toss-up in women's hands, and it is all an open question how they will tell, let the premises be ever so promising. In this instance the effect was never for a moment in doubt. Prime had committed himself, and condemned me; and when our trusty pilot, Mr. Mann, strolled up for a glass of champagne, I could plainly see, from his countenance, that he was reading in mine a clear case of having "taken a liberty" with my own mare. Put him right I could not; and so, after agreeing to another taste of the champagne, which, for want of customers, poor Prime was turning to home consumption, the silk-shirted hero made again for the weighinghouse, with the point of his whip in his mouth, and evidently deeply engaged in an inward argument as to his pink and white patron being more rogue or fool.

I was thinking of something the same sort myself.

To him succeeded our Tally-ho friend, all on the look-out, with the word in his mouth and the book in his hand. "Come now, then, Fortunatus, how many subscriptions am I to put you down for?" "Well, I think one must”

"One! you avaricious rascal!-one! after sweeping off that pocket

* As there may be some still who have to live and learn, we may interpret the term "taking a liberty" with a horse, to stand for laying long odds against him.EDITOR.

ful of money! Come, come, our fair friends here, I know, will make him behave better than that. Let's see what's your d- -d name?' as the man in the play says. Ah! William Alphonzo Oxford, Esq. Ditto ditto to that; and then, of course, Mrs. William Alphonzo Oxford, Esq. Miss Roberts, I'm sure you'll let me chronicle you in such good company?"

"Not at present, sir,-that is, if I am permitted to say no," replied that amiable lady, with a frosty-faced smile that passed the gentleman tout on in less than no time.

Matters were getting serious indeed, and as a sequitur, some of the scamps began to laugh; but, egad! 'twas no laughing matter either. Pontybwnbyllyn never looked worse, and I couldn't help saying to myself, all this is capital hedging for a certain dear cousin of ours thrice removed. To be sure he'd been through every step of the Rake's Progress, from strolling playing to methodist preaching, and was now existing in Calais on hopes and post obits; but, with all his faults, he had never had a race-horse, and

"Might I trouble you, Mr. Oxford, to put me down at my little cottage, as I fear I shall be quite out of place at your rejoicings this evening? In fact, to tell you the truth, I can't help thinking that at the best THE PROFIT AND LOSS in this racing are strangely conflicting.'

And again I was thinking of something the same sort myself. Something must be done, and if 'twere done at all, 'twere better it were done quickly. That something, as it generally does, meant one thing. The hammer must a second time relieve me, and the Hyde Park Corner corner of the Morning Post speak for itself:-" On Monday next, without reserve, the property of a gentleman, the Mountain Maid, five years old, winner of the South Western Handicap, by Muley Moloch, out of the Maid of Llangollen, by Langar."

She's gone!-for a hundred and ten more, though, than the captain was credited for; and like him, I am happy to say, out of the country. A Mr. Johannisbergh, or Bronenberg, or some such name, has escorted her to Prussia, so that I shall never be tempted again. I have got a good precedent too. Like Lord George, I have stopped my Calendar, and entered on another propensity. At this writing, I have halfa-dozen dahlias in strong work, and am open at any time to an even five that I am first, second, or third for the Amateur's Cup.

HIGHLAND SPORTS, AND SPORTING QUARTERS.

BY LINTON.

(Continued.)

But hark! what knock is that which breaks upon our slumbers? bang, bang against the door. "Come in, come in," and we started up in bed, endeavouring to collect our thoughts. Oh, we understand; it is the last morning: we must bid adieu to Meggernie, its heathered hills and grassy vales, mountains, and bright trout streams.

"Well, F., what's the hour, and how looks the weather?" "Time to rise, sir; your walk up the glen will be a long and weary one. The rain has fallen heavily since midnight, and the morning is rough and wet, with slight hopes of a clearing. The mountain rivulets will be swollen across the road before mid-day; it will therefore be well that you start early."

True, the appearance from our window was anything but a pleasing one, and we may fairly add

"And mirk and mirkier grows the hill,

And fiercer sweeps the blast;

The heavens declare his wondrous power
Who made the mountain fast."

Nevertheless we had determined to go, and go we must. We had seen a little campaigning on the north of the Pyrenees, and were not to be deterred by the dangers which were threatened from boisterous weather to the west of Ben Lawers. Our baggage being in light marching order, was soon prepared, and strapped across the back of a strong, active, Highland pony. The keeper, and many of the gillies who had shared in our sports and pleasures, came to bid us adieu; and, with a hearty wish for their health and happiness, we took one last long look at the castle and all familiar scenes around it. The word was given to march, and away we went. The trusty Fwho, during our visit, had been keeper, valet, waiter, bed-maker, and cook's assistant, for all we knew, as he appeared active and willing enough for anything, as the following trifling anecdote will prove-had determined to accompany us some miles up the glen, in order to point out the right track; for of a road, after we had proceeded some little distance, there was very trifling appearance.

"Well, F.," said we, as side by side we walked along, grumbling, as human nature will grumble, even when one's best hopes have been realized, "it is unlucky we could not remain a few days longer in the glen; nevertheless we have had much enjoyment, and, thanks to you, we have been well fed and most comfortably lodged; indeed, after your day's work on the hills and your night's work in the castle, you must have had enough of us."

Scotch we never learnt, though we managed to pick up a few words of Gaelic; the majority of our readers are, doubtless, equally ignorant of the neighbouring language. We must try, therefore, though it will lose much in the translation, to give his reply in plain English: "No, indeed, sir; I should be glad if you could have remained you have not walked over half the sporting ground, and you appear to enjoy everything-scenery as well as sporting. I am not readily fatigued; indeed, I have scarcely been in bed this night."

;

"Why so? what's been the matter? No one ill, we trust." "Oh, nothing sir; nothing unusual or extraordinary; only my missis was taken unexpectedly in labour. Doctors are not so plentiful in these highland glens as in the low country; so I mounted the pony and rode fourteen miles to Fortingale, and brought back the leech just in time: eight-and-twenty miles at midnight through the valley is no pleasant excursion. All's well however, thank God; and I am the happy parent of number five,"

The night previous to this pleasing event, we had seen Mrs. F. concocting a hare stew; so these matters are easily arranged beyond the border; and we conscientiously recommend those, having cara sposas in a state which ladies desire to be "who love their lords," to take them on a Highland tour just in proper time. The processwe mean that of introducing a young Highlander to the light of day -is rapid, cheap, and cleverly effected.

But to proceed: we had determined not to deviate from the beaten track, for a heathered couch among the mountains of Glen Lyon is by no means an agreeable resting-place during the night at the latter end of October. Should any grouse, black-cock, or hares be sufficiently obliging to present themselves, no objection whatever existed to slaying them; but to follow game over the heathered mountain-sides was forbidden. We had two couple of dogs, that is, two rough deerhounds and two greyhounds; these ran free, with due authority to chase, catch, and kill any hares, roe-deer, or other intruders which might perchance cross our path; but no roving was permitted, all was left to chance. The mountain rivulets rushed foaming across the road; the hills looked dark and dreary; even the smoke of our cigars was beaten down by the atmosphere; and we had scarcely walked a mile ere we were sufficiently informed that a Scotch mist in London, which induces a man to spend a shilling for a cab to save his new hat, among these craggy mountains of Glen Lyon proves that your shooting-jacket, flannel waistcoat, and shirt are by no means waterproof-nevertheless, le jeu vaut bien la chandelle, be it even a wax, one burnt on the altar of patience and temper; and a wet jacket on such an occasion is unquestionably a trifle lighter than the air over head. But what's that on the brow of yonder hillock? a crow, or a raven?

"I'll bet you a shilling it is a blackcock." Englishmen always bet, however trifling the subject.

"Done!"

"Then here goes

Whatever the bird, it was perched on a rock at more than sixty yards' distance. No gun ever misses in the Highlands, whatever it may do in a turnip-field. Bang! the report echoed through the mountains: up towered the black bird straight in mid-air, and down it fell plump among the heather. F. smiled, and we laughed outright; and our companion ran and picked up a fine blackcock, dead: we pocketed the shilling and the bird; the bad weather, for the moment, was forgotten, and on we walked, arriving shortly after at the small lake of Girnie, which is well stocked with trout, though of no great size; nevertheless the catching of these affords much sport both to ladies and gentlemen, and the eating of them-a consequence which naturally follows-is by no means a disagreeable pastime. This small but interesting lake is surrounded on all sides by lofty heathercovered mountains, to which, on a calm summer or autumnal evening, it may literally be said to be the mirror, as their shadowy outlines are thereon most distinctly reflected.

On such an evening we have found ourselves, rod in hand, almost imperceptibly pulled over its unrippled waters by the sinewy arms of a Highlander, who quietly rowed the boat; while we, with sundry