6o The Chase 



a broken stirrup-leather, and a dirty coat, viewed 

 him crawling slowly down the side of a hedgerow. 

 In an instant his hat was in the air, and Charles, 

 surrounded by his hounds, was galloping to the 

 point indicated. Two sharp turns with the fox 

 in sight — a great enthusiasm and hurry amongst 

 those sportsmen who were fortunate enough to be 

 present, and who rode^ one and all, considerably 

 faster than their horses could go — a confused mass 

 of hounds rolling over each other in the corner 

 of the field — Charles ofF his horse and amongst 

 them, with a loud " Who-whoop ! " — and the 

 run is concluded, to the satisfaction of all lookers- 

 on, and the irremediable disgust of the many 

 equestrians who started " burning with high hope," 

 and are now struggling and stopping over the 

 adjoining parish, in different stages of exhaus- 

 tion. The Honourable Crasher congratulates Mr. 

 Sawyer on his success ; also takes this opportunity 

 of introducing his friend to the M.F.H. A few 

 courteous sentences are interchanged ; Messrs. 

 Savage, Struggles, and Brush propose a return to 

 Harborough ; cigars are offered and lit ; everybody 

 seems pleased and excited. John Standish Sawyer 

 has attained the object for which he left home — 

 he has seen a good run, made a number of pleasant 

 acquaintances, launched once more into that gay 

 world which he now thinks he abandoned too soon. 

 He ought to be delighted with his success ; but, 

 alas for human triumphs ! 



Ay ! even in the fount of joy 

 Some bitter drops the draught alloy, 



and our friend, with many feigned excuses and a 

 dejected expression of countenance, lingers behind 

 his companions and plods his way homewards alone. 



G. /. Whyte-Mehille. 



