The Bore of the Hunt. 187 



boxes of Magnificos Imperiales, I should so like you to 

 try. I do assure you, you couldn't buy them at Benson's 

 or Carlin's for double what I'm asking for them. Have 

 one box, and I feel sure you'll want the rest, and only 

 five guineas a pound." 



Horseflesh, too, she dabbles in, perhaps more success- 

 fully than anything else. Her curious old port, and her 

 brown-paper cigars, are pretty well blown upon by this 

 time, but she really has something decent sometimes in 

 the way of horseflesh^ladies' hacks and clever cobs 

 principally — to dispose of on commission. 



We regret to have to add that Mrs. Cackler, amongst 

 her many and varied accomplishments, is a notorious 

 mischief-maker and scandalmonger, and more than one 

 farmer or tradesman has got to thank her for being the 

 cause of unpleasantness between husband and wife. Buy- 

 ing and selling things, though, are her strong points^ 

 particularly the latter, as a good many people know to 

 their cost. As old Shrub says, she can lie just like truth! 



When Bullerton horse and cattle fair comes round, 

 you are sure to find Mother Chatterbox there, cheapening; 

 something, either a pig or a pony, perhaps a cow. Some 

 people even declare she once worsted the proprietor of a 

 drove of Welsh ponies, in single combat ; however, as to 

 that we can't sa}'', though, knowing the strong-minded 

 lady as we do, we don't think it so highly improbable. We 

 certainly never met one of her sex more capable of taking 

 her own part. As regards her equestrianism, she appears 

 regularly at the meets of Lord Daisyfield's hounds, when 

 anything like within distance of her abode ; and, when 

 they've found and gone away, she'll take a line of gaps 

 and pound along the 'ard 'igh road with the best of 'em, 



