SEASON 1875-76 83 



When talking the matter over the Duke suggested, 

 as a means of retrenching, to hunt four instead of 

 five days a week. This proposal Gillard begged 

 should not be entertained, preferring rather to hunt 

 six days a week as long as he had breath in his 

 body to do so. " But, Frank," said the Duke in his 

 usual kind way, " you must remember that we all 

 get older ! " A rough estimate of the cost of 

 hunting the Lincolnshire side of the country was 

 drawn up, and a meeting of gentlemen took place 

 at Belton Park with Lord Brownlow in the chair 

 on February 22nd to consider the matter. A sub- 

 scription of 1500 a year was immediately forth- 

 coming to meet the expenses of the poultry and 

 damage fund, with the proviso that Gillard was not 

 to be interfered with, and all responsibility rested 

 with him when the Duke was not in the field. 

 The hunt then continued the even tenor of its way 

 to the day of the Duke's death. 



A curious finish to a smart gallop occurred 

 witli the evening fox on Leap year day this 

 season. The find was in Sir John Thorold's plant- 

 ation, and hounds fairly raced, leaving Cranwell 

 to the right, turning to Holdingham covert away 

 to Sleaford, where they killed in Miss Peacock's 

 brewing -tub after a capital twenty -five minutes. 

 When crossing the valley below Cranwell, the 

 horse Gillard was riding swerved from some sheep- 

 trays, and jumping at the netting, got completely 

 wound up in it, rolling over, smothering his rider 

 in the most tenacious clay, so that it was necessary 

 to be well scraped before he regained the free use 



