And watching your riding’s a thing to enjoy;
    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.