48 Dick Simpson^ Hiiiitsman. 



plague was stayed. A more noble-hearted thing 

 a man could not have done. Seventy-two people 

 died in Towcester, and sixty in Silverstone. 



Lord Southampton's kindness had long been 

 appreciated by his neighbours; in 1850 they had 

 presented him with a testimonial, which took the 

 form of a magnificent silver centrepiece represent- 

 ing an oak tree, which stood in the park near 

 his lordship's house, with deer underneath it. It 

 would have been even larger if the subscriptions 

 had not been limited by his own request. 



I am now come to Simpson's last season. He 

 had such a desire to return to his farm that 

 he begged his master to let him go ; but Lord 

 Southampton was so pleased with him and his 

 great talent that he much regretted that Simpson 

 could not remain. 



The best run over the Vale took place from 

 Christmas Gorse. The blackest old vixen I ever 

 saw went away at the bottom. I holloaed, and 

 the dog hounds were away directly, ran up to 

 Mains Hill Farm parallel with the Aylesbury 

 turnpike for some distance, pointing for Creslow ; 

 a man breaking stones turning the fox to the 

 right, he then dropped into one of the finest 

 valleys that can be found. Hounds kept one 

 steady but rapid pace for miles, ran under the 



