30 MEMORIES OF THE SHIRES 



day was anxious that little BuUen should exhibit 

 his prowess in pastures new. The Master of the 

 Brocklesby was, however, a kind-hearted man, and 

 possessing a sense of humour he was able to do the 

 little curate a good turn, have a joke on a neighbour, 

 and rid himself of what his huntsmen considered a 

 nuisance. He wrote therefore to the Duke of 

 Rutland to say that having heard the living of East- 

 well was vacant, he could supply him with a hard- 

 riding light weight curate who would doubtless 

 make an excellent vicar. Belvoir soon discovered 

 his pecuHarities, but the little man was allowed to 

 retain the living to his death. I believe " Parson '* 

 Bullen was the original of a story which has become 

 rather an ancient chestnut. He was galloping 

 alongside of a gilded youth from Melton one day, 

 the Parson as usual riding a roarer and the other 

 an expensive purchase from Toynbee or some well- 

 known dealer. The Parson exclaimed, " Your 

 horse makes a noise," and the youth replied, " Yes ! 

 by Jove, so he does." Whereupon the little man 

 tried to buy the animal ; but history does not state 

 whether he succeeded. When two horses are 

 fairly close it is not as easy to detect which makes 

 the noise as anyone would imagine. 



