Mr. J. M. Richardson's Writings Collated 



cases, downright wicked — for the gentleman who looks after 

 our spiritual welfare, and was probably entered to sport of all 

 kinds from his earliest childhood, to employ some of his spare 

 time in the invigorating and innocent pastime of galloping over 

 a country in the wake of a pack of foxhounds is altogether 

 beyond me. It is my firm belief that top boots are the cause 

 of it in a great measure. I remember once, many years ago, 

 when on a visit to a strange country, and in a quick thing over 

 the grass the first day I was out hunting, I could not but 

 notice that none went better throughout the gallop than a man 

 sporting a black overcoat and " antigropelos " — a fearful and 

 wonderful species of gaiter in use at that period — and who had, 

 apparently, dropped from the clouds. Judge my astonishment, 

 at the end of the run, when the stranger in black, riding up to 

 me with radiant face and outstretched hand, revealed the 

 identity of a friend of my boyhood who, when up at Oxford 

 later, was quite one of its representative horsemen, and of 

 whom my last recollection was seeing him win a steeplechase 

 at Aylesbury in dashing style on a horse belonging to Charlie 

 Symonds, which, like most of the animals emanating from the 

 stables of that great and good man, possessed a knack of 

 " going," however unprepossessing its looks might be. 



" Shocking get-up about the legs, ain't it ? " remarked my 

 friend, as he saw me taking in the " antigropelos." " Fact is," he 

 went on, " I'm curate-in-charge of a parish near here, and with 

 such a nice, narrow-minded flock as mil. % what would happen 

 if they ever caught sight of their beloved shepherd in breeches 

 and boots goodness only knows ! They'd ' Baa ' their heads 

 off and mine too. How do I manage to hunt ? Well, should 

 I happen to be riding along the road (I am ordered horse 

 exercise, don't you know), and come up with the hounds by 

 accident, as was the case to-day, and my horse should happen 



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