TJie ex 'Queen of Naples. 267 



Wood. A very stiff clipped hedge had to be 

 jumped, which His Royal Highness's horse re- 

 fused ; I lost no time in giving a lead. Hounds 

 were still in view, screaming after the fox, Frank 

 Beers cheering his very best. There were two 

 young ladies racing in front, one with her hair 

 down her back. " Look at those ladies I " the 

 Prince said, and gave chase; in two fields the 

 fox was pulled down. The ladies ran in a dead 

 heat, the Prince about three lengths behind. I 

 never saw a more lively finish in my life. The 

 Prince w^as obliged to 4e^ve at once ; he shook 

 hands all round, and left a very pleasing im- 

 pression of his riding and charming manners. 



The ex-Queex of Naples. 



In the month of December, 1875, Her Majesty 

 the ex-Queen of Naples came to England for 

 fox-hunting. Her Majesty took up her residence 

 at a house called " Park View," near to Towcester, 

 and quite in the centre of the Grafton Hunt, 

 whence she attended many of the open meets. 



The ex-Queen's first appearance in the hunting 

 field took place at Castlethorpe. Although she 

 was a splendid horsewoman, quite devoid of fear, 

 had ridden at the head of an army and had been 

 under fire, yet her Majesty had never ridden 



