so REMINISCENCES OF 



stables at Coombe. Jack and I also went to stay- 

 there, and in the evenings we assisted Lady Craven 

 to tear up rags to make " charpie " for the wounded 

 soldiers in the Franco- German War. We sent the 

 hounds to Cryers Farm at High Wood, and put 

 them into a cattle shed, but that was not a success, 

 for it was damp under the straw and most of them 

 were taken ill. 



Walker wished to know how the Welsh hounds 

 turned out, so I wrote asking him to come to 

 Mancetter, and I would mount him. We had only 

 a small house, and no housekeeper's room, so we 

 invited him to dine with us. He was most amusing 

 and agreeable, and his manners most polite and 

 gentlemanlike. It happened to be at the time when 

 Mr. Chaplin gave up the mastership of the Blank- 

 ney Hounds. In the course of conversation Mrs. 

 Thomson said, " I see in the papers that Mr. Chaplin 

 has given up the mastership, but they will always 

 have his best wishes". "Allow me to remark, 

 madam, that good wishes will not maintain hounds 

 and 'osses," was Walker's reply. 



Next day we went to Rugby and hunted with 

 the North Warwickshire. John Darby mounted us 

 both. He asked me if I had any objection to meet 

 Frank Beers at dinner. I was delighted to do so ; 

 he joined the party, and after dinner Walker returned 

 home. 



We had pretty good sport all through the season 

 and hunted on foot during the frost. On 3rd March 

 I was riding " Comus ". He was very fresh and 



