The Life of a Great Sportsman 



to Lord Fitzwilliam at Wentworth, the late Lord Strathnairn, 

 with commendable prudence, took the precaution to barricade 

 his door with a heavy chest of drawers before retiring to bed 

 for the night. Upon another celebrated occasion, being no 

 respecter of persons, it is related how Sir Chandos Leigh, 

 when he captained an eleven of the " I Zingari " in Ireland, 

 was nearly driven into a real bear-fight by some monkey trick 

 played upon him at the Viceregal Lodge, Dublin, by this Imp 

 of Mischief in the presence of the then Lord Lieutenant of 

 Ireland and his Duchess. It was certainly only due to the 

 power of self-restraint the great Counsel possessed that blood 

 was not shed, for the irrepressible " Bay " stepped slightly over 

 the bounds of fair play in the favourite amusement on this 

 memorable occasion. 



In spite of his tendency occasionally to carry a joke a little 

 too far, " Bay " Middleton, as many of his friends can testify, 

 possessed a very kind heart, and genuine feeling for those in 

 trouble. Some years ago a friend of mine told me that she 

 was staying with her mother, who was extremely ill, at the same 

 hotel as the redoubtable " Bay," their rooms being adjoining. 

 She knew him well by reputation, but never having met him, 

 she hesitated naturally in asking him to moderate his bear- 

 fighting horrors for the sake of her mother. Not only, how- 

 ever, were he and his friends silent as mice during their stay, 

 but he never passed her mother's door without making a point 

 of removing his boots, and, what is more, insisted on his friends 

 doing likewise. 



Naturally Herr von Shavel came into North Lincolnshire 

 in his quest for the best horses for so fine a rider as his 

 Emperor. And nothing but the most perfect horse in every 

 respect that money could buy was good enough for him. 

 Each hunter was required to have the best manners of an 



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