1894J A GOOD DAY. 263 



but tlioy hit it off directly, and my little eliap took his first fall over 

 a tiuy rail and ditch, but scrambled up like a good one, and on again, 

 80 we were well in at the death, which took place directly afterwards down 

 in Bath Hill, close to the Bath. A very mangy one, so well killed out of the 

 way of mischief and misery. Before I had time comfortably to change from 

 14 to 16 hands, they had found again at Bowshot, and went away a regular 

 cracker to Lighthorno Rough, and, without dwelling there or at Bishop's 

 Gorse — we remembered as we swept by the good run from hero after the 

 Hunt Ball two years ago— took the meadows at the back of Lighthorne, 

 leaving the Red House just on the right, by Hit or Miss, to Itchington Holt 

 without the semblance of a check, except the minute or two they took in 

 passing through the gorse, horses and men showing the severity of the pace 

 and the heat of the ball-room. This good fox never dwelt there, but, without 

 waiting to listen for the band to strike up again, was off down the centre of 

 the Yale. Here the dancing began in earnest, and all those who had got up 

 in time started to the jovial tune, though some of the party, including our 

 worthy host, soon found the floor rather soft and sticky. At first we 

 ran for Gaydon Hill, and the pace of the foxhunters' gallop began to 

 moderate as we turned to the left at the Burton Allotments, as if for 

 Watergall, but, swinging to the right, made for Burton Hill. The 

 " Sunlight,"* which no gold or silver mine could buy, was enlivening the 

 scene. "Paul Jones's" black flag was, as usual, flying at the fore. Col. 

 HoUis was qualifying for his new appointment at Cork by taking one more 

 measure of the strength of the Warwickshire rails, Mr. Tree was boring one 

 or two handsome holes on the right, while I noticed several dancers making 

 the best of their day out, and a young gentleman on a nice grey horse going 

 straight and well to the music of the ball. The weather changed from warm 

 and still to rather stormy, and scent seemed to fail ; but Lord Willoughby, 

 whose young bay horse carried him splendidy, made a useful little cast at the 

 Northend railway bridge, and, leaving Bawcutts on the right, we ran up to 

 the old Burton Toll-ljar. At Marlborough Farm the first contretemps 

 happened. In the big field, which we crossed the other night, some sheep 

 and some cattle crossed the line, and while the huntsman was getting them 

 forward, as he generally does, they most unluckily hit the wrong scent. 

 The fox went straight on and out at the far corner, where a man saw him, 

 but, unfortunately, as he told me, though " he hooted as loud as he could," 

 no one heard him till too late. All the same they made a good line on 

 towards Burton Hill Farm (Harbage's), and then to the left over the 

 Banbury Road, and up to Burton Church. Here he had been viewed 

 twice, but, as I said before, the day had changed rather for the worse, 

 and we had got too far behind, so we had to give it up. We had 

 been galloping and moving and jumping for two hours with hardly a stop, 

 and I was glad for one to call at Mr. Fairlirother's, and the good old 

 Timekeeper turned up from Banl)ury Market just in time to offer us some 

 welcome hospitality, of which his old colonel and the hon. chaplain were not 

 slow to avail themselves. When we got down tlie hill we found they had 

 started an outlying fox at the engine-house at the bottom of the flying 

 railway. He ran into Bawcutts, where he hung to the covert for some time, 



* Mr: E. Cassel's well known chesnut liorse. He once jumped a " kissing gate " ou 

 the swing. It was afterwards said two children were sitting on it. 



