The Merry Past ' 



a later hour of dining had come into fashion. When 

 invited to dine out he would still have his own dinner 

 as usual previous to starting, in consequence of which 

 he used facetiously to say that there were two houses 

 at which he had often tried to arrive too late for 

 dinner, but never could succeed — these were Wynns- 

 tay and Emral. 



Mr. Leche hunted his own hounds, but occasionally 

 the care of his pack devolved on his whipper-in Sam, 

 who was a wet soul, and often came home drunk. 

 The Squire, however, at length declared that he 

 would endure this no longer, so told Sam he must 

 quit his service, and that he should look out for a 

 new whipper-in. " Very well, sir," said Sam ; " and 

 if you was to look out for a new huntsman, it would 

 be quite as well for the hounds." This admirable 

 reply disarmed his master, and Sam continued in his 

 place. 



Curiously enough, though Mr. Leche kept fox- 

 hounds, and hunted them himself for a long series 

 of years — possessing also abilities quite above the 

 common standard — he knew very little about fox- 

 hunting. 



The harriers which he kept at one time were 

 hunted in a somewhat original fashion. 



Contrary to the general custom, Mr. Leche and 

 his guests used to dine first and hunt afterwards. 

 This arrangement was thus effected : About three 

 miles from Carden was a pretty retired little villa 

 called Holywell, belonging to the Squire. It was 

 untenanted save by servants. Thither every hunting 



47 



