There isn’t a Jock who is defter and bolder;
Your power, authority, eloquence—yes,
For your gift of the gab is a caution—are splendid;
But—the youngster may teach you a lesson, I guess,
As to judgment of pace ere the contest is ended.
Grand Old Jockey (aloud). Well,
ARTHUR my lad, in the saddle
again!
Is that your crack
mount?
Rising Young Jockey. The identical one, WILL.
Grand Old Jockey. Dear, dear, what a pity!
It quite gives me pain
To see you so wasted.
Rising Young Jockey. That’s only your fun, WILL.
Grand Old Jockey. Nay, nay, not at all!
Don’t think much of his
points.
He’s not bred like a
true-blood, nor built like a winner.
Not well put together, so coarse in his
joints,
In fact—only fit
for a hunting-pack’s dinner!
Rising Young Jockey (laughing).
Oh! “Cat’s-meat!” is your cry,
is
it,
WILLIAM? Well, well!
We shall see about that when
the winning-post’s handy.
Grand Old Jockey. You won’t, my
brave boy; that a novice could
tell.
You’ll be left in the
ruck at the end, my young dandy,
Rising Young Jockey. Perhaps! Still the
pencillers haven’t,—as
yet—
Quite knocked the nag out
with their furious fever
Of hot opposition. Some cool ones
still bet
On his chance of a win.
Grand Old Jockey (contemptuously).
Ah, you’re wonderful clever.
But we have got one in our Stable,
my lad,
Who can—just lick
his head off!
Rising Young Jockey (drily). Now
have you indeed, WILL?
I fancy I’ve heard that before.
Very glad
That your lot are in luck;
and I hope you’ll succeed, WILL,
But bless me! yours seems such a very
Dark Horse!
Oh! there, don’t fire
up so! Your word I won’t doubt, WILL.
You say so, and one must believe you,
of course;
But—isn’t
it time that you brought the nag out, WILL?
* * * * *
[Illustration: A VERY “DARK HORSE.”
OLD JOCKEY. “DON’T THINK MUCH OF
HIS POINTS! WE’VE ONE IN OUR STABLE
CAN LICK HIS HEAD OFF!”
YOUNG JOCKEY. “HAVE YOU? THEN WHY DON’T YOU BRING HIM OUT?”]
* * * * *
HISTORY AS SHE IS PLAYED!
Questioner. Why should M.V. SARDOU be
called the Historian of the
French Revolution?
Answerer. Because in Thermidor he has
given an entirely new
version of the “Reign of Terror.”
Q. Was the “Reign of Terror” very terrible?
A. Not very. At the Opera Comique it had its comic side.