AUTUMN DAYS 



the excellent condition of the estate, the goodness 

 of the cottages, and the cheerful air of prosperity 

 of the Duke's people. No Badminton tenant or 

 cottager went to "the house," and with the 

 Duchess it was a labour of love to look after the 

 old and sick. 



But the shadows soon began to lengthen, and 

 troubles came thick and fast. Not for a moment did 

 the Duke think of giving up his hounds. Never- 

 theless expenses were very heavy, and the Beaufort 

 property, being chiefly agricultural, felt the steady 

 fall of prices very much. The Duke found his in- 

 come decreasing rapidly. The country hunted was, 

 therefore curtailed, and the pack known first as 

 Captain Spicer's, and later as the Avon Vale, was 

 cut off from the Badminton Hunt. Then a subscrip- 

 tion was, for the first time in the history of the hunt, 

 accepted, the famous pack remaining the property 

 of the Duke. Shortly afterwards the ownership 

 was transferred to Lord Worcester. 



Never did the Duke's courtesy, kindness, and 

 courage fail him, for whatever difficulties and 

 sorrows he endured — and Lady Waterford's long 

 sufferings and death were sore trials to a man whose 

 love of his children was so marked a feature in 

 his character — he was outwardly full of courage 

 and cheerfulness. 



We cannot doubt that an occupation and an 

 interest which came about this time was really a 

 pleasure to him. I refer, of course, to the now 



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