THE TUESDAY COUNTRY. 5 



quality of the country to be ridden over. One day, say on 

 Monday, you may be hunting on plough, and almost fancy 

 that you are in a provincial country when the meet is at 

 Wellesbourne, Tachbrooke, or Goldicote. But wait a bit. 

 Before the shortest winter's day is over, you may be 

 fairly launched on grass at Brickkiln Gorse, Lighthorne 

 Eougli, Bishop's Gorse, or Chesterton Wood. Then, 

 on Tuesday, the meet is at Wolford Village or Weston 

 House, fixtures for the large woodlands on the south side 

 of the country, always well preserved and cared for by 

 Mr. Freeman' Mitford, of Batsford ; Sir Pery Pole, of 

 Todenham ; and Lady Camperdown," of AYeston House. 

 Wolford Wood or Whichford Wood are drawn. You are 

 not likely, however, to be in them all day. Whatever 

 may be the reputation of the latter wood, the former has 

 not lost its character for good wild foxes. You may, if 

 you manage to get a start, find yourself close to the 

 hounds as they top the stone walls in the Heythrop 

 country, or following them as best you may over the 

 stiffly inclosed vales which border the Evenlode and the 

 Stour ; while, for an afternoon draw, you have that almost 

 ideal gorse covert, planted by Lord Camperdowai, close to 

 the (rolden C-ross Inn, on the Fosse Eoad, and which 

 seldom or ne/er has failed to provide a fox. It may be 

 that the Tuesday meet is fixed for nearer home, at Brailes, 

 or Idlicote, or Pillerton ; and where would you find a 

 more charming bit of country than that wild and varied 

 expanse of vale in which Oxliill Gorse (the gift of Sir 

 Charles Mordaunt to the Hunt, and maintained at his 

 own expense) forms the boss of the shield, the gem in a 

 setting of grass ? And where better fox preservers than 

 Mr. Sheldon, of Brailes ; Mr. Frederick Townsend, the 

 owner of Honington Hall, and the far-famed blackthorn 

 covert; or the Rev. Henry Mills, of Pillei-ton? On Tuesday, 

 too, we ride to hunt, and do not hunt to ride ; the rail- 

 ways have not yet imported their hundreds to spoil sport 

 by over pressure ; there is not much stock in the fields, 

 and hounds have every chance as well as every assistance. 



