Running Recollections and How to Train

56 in his former trial, and decided to back him forthwith. After the race, in which our friend was most ignominiously beaten, he remarked, ingenuously, " that he was striding far enough, but hedidn't think hepicked 'em up fast enough." But, in the wordsof the shillingshocker, this isa digres­ sion. As I said before, I improved upon my sprinting in the most marvellous fashion, so much so, in fact, that I persuaded my backers (Messrs. Gibson and Shankland) to allow me to accept in the "Broughton Rangers' Sweep­ stakes," whichwas to be run on GoodFriday, a fortnight and a day before I was due to run Bredin. I ran a trial for this event, andshowed running which, provided I could reproduce it, left no doubt in our minds as to the winner. Th good luck with which I seemed to be blessed at that time, however, temporarily desertedme, and in this manner. Everybody knows what an awkward day Good Friday is to travel on. All our arrangements were nicely made beforehand. We were to catch a certain train at Ormskirk and another at Rainford Junction, which would land us in Manchester in nice time for me to have a run, andthe wholeparty to have some lunch, while I could get a couple of hours in bed thereafter. "The best laid plans of men and mice," how­ ever, "aft gang agley," andour disgust at learning thathe train, owing to a breakdown, was three-quarters-of-an-hour late, can be imagined. This was bad enough, but when we got to Rainford and found that we had lost the con­ nection, and that there was no train for four hours, I leave the reader to imagine our despair—and language. A kindly porter, who seemed to be the only intelligent creature in that benighted spot, suggested that we should drive to Wigan, distance seven miles, and there we should probably be able to get a train to take us to Manchester in time for the handicap. Anything wasbetter