Charlie Wiidoats. 7 1 



could talk about pretty nearly every subject that cropped 

 uppermost. In the billiard-room he came out uncommonly 

 strong, and he astonished Master Charles very considerably 

 the night he arrived by beating him twice running at 

 billiards — very easily, too — and Charlie fancied himself 

 very much at the game. In the smoking-room, with one 

 of the host's biggest cigars in his mouth, and some brandy 

 and soda in a glass the size of a stable-bucket at his elbow, 

 the little old gentleman would come out stronger than 

 ever. His stories, as the night grew older, waxed fuller 

 in flavour, and, told very quaintly, in a thin pipy sort of 

 voice, they what is called '' fetched " the gorgeous satin- 

 and-velvet-coated young gentlemen vastly. One night 

 the whole party, having got tired of billiards and blackpool 

 adjourned in a body to the smoking-room, the conver- 

 sation forthwith turning on hunting (as it happened the 

 hounds were to meet in front of the house the following 

 morning). The artist listened with pricked ears to the 

 talk, and at last, after a meditative pull at his tumbler and 

 a long puff at his cigar, he announced his intention of 

 giving himself a holiday for once and coming out to see 

 them. '' I haven't seen a red coat or a pack of hounds 

 for years," said the old gentleman, ^' and upon my word 

 it will be a great treat to me," 



^' And, by Jove ! you shall/' struck in Charlie, in his 

 boisterous way; ''and I tell you what, my old cockalorum, 

 I'll mount you on my chestnut mare Molly Bawn, I'm 

 blessed if I won't." All manner of questions the artist 

 asked — "Was she quiet ? Did she rear ? Would she kick ? 

 Did she pull at all ? " '' Of course not. A baby in arms 

 might ride her," declared Charles, notwithstanding the fact 

 that Molly had pla3^ed no end of games with him on more 



