t a short price, and I could see it would require a good
deal of money to enable me to get round my share of our losses. Still,
what was the use of all our exertions and hard work and financial risks
if the two partners specially selected for their intimate knowledge of
the true form of the horses were not to be believed? There was nothing
for it but to sink or swim together. We duly published the _Tissue_ on
the Tuesday morning, the Cup morning. By a quarter past ten you could
pick up a copy of the _Tissue_ anywhere in the city. We sent cabs full of
them to Flemington and scattered them all over the road and the course.
Every one was saying "Mata" would win all right.

The Melbourne Cup was run that afternoon, and Mata did _not_ win. As a
matter of fact, he was one of the two last horses to finish. Grand
Flaneur won--our tip for a place. All was up with the _Turf Tissue_.
Nothing was left but for myself and my two partners to try to look happy
and pay our responsibilities. I attended the office on the Wednesday, but
my partners did not turn up, as I expected. I found out afterwards that
they had lost their all, and that, as I had undertaken the financial
responsibilities of the venture, it was left to me to have the pleasure
of winding up our company's affairs. I had in this respect to stand a
great deal of good-natured chaff from my friends and General Scratchley,
who thought it was quite a good joke.

I am reminded that years afterwards the following amusing incident
occurred in Melbourne. The Melbourne Cup of 1896 was to take place. Some
two months before the race the Duke of the Abruzzi, cousin of the King of
Italy, then a young man and a sailor, arrived in Adelaide on an Italian
man-of-war. He was making a tour round the world. I saw a good deal of
him during his stay in Adelaide. I was then Commandant of South
Australia. The duke was much interested in the Cup, and he was most
anxious to get a good tip. A mare called Auraria, belonging to Mr. David
James, of Adelaide, was in the race. She was a good mare, and a good deal
fancied for the race by the talent in Adelaide. She had, at any rate, an
outside show. So I suggested to the duke and his staff to put some money
on, as the odds against her at the time were about thirty to one, and if
she improved before the day of the race that price was sure to shorten
and they could lay off. He made me write the name "Auraria" in his
notebook, so that he wouldn't forget. He c