112 FOX-HOUND, FOREST, AND PRAIRIE. 



part and parcel of a merry sport and a happy institution that the 

 farmers take pride in maintaining. No one whose pleasure is 

 thus earned should, or will, in return grudge support to their 

 institution. " A pound a minute " we often, in the heyday of 

 our youth, say that a run is worth. Give a minute or two, 

 gentlemen, to the old age of those who help you to it ! 



SCRAPTOFT HALL AT TEA-TIME FOR MAN 



AND FOX. 



On Friday, March 16th, Barkby Gorse was drawn in a heavy 

 snowstorm, that had slackened but little before hounds opened 

 in the Holt adjoining. But in spite of this comfortless inter- 

 ference, the next half-hour was better fun than we have had 

 since this Siberian spring first set in. The old happy ground 

 between Barkby Holt and Scraptoft was to be traversed ; and 

 much of it was done in the hurry that we have learned to 

 look upon as so vitally essential to a run over good country. 

 (Lest the term may read wrong, understand that speed, not 

 haste, is inferred by hurry.) The pack were at one end of 

 the little wood, when fox went away at the other : so he had 

 all the best of the start. But this gave everyone a position 

 in the run — and a position that each and all seemed deter- 

 mined to maintain. They rode all the harder that they 

 scarcely saw where they were going. Big fences (and even, 

 I am told, a deep and dirty pond) looked feasible through the 

 driving snow. I am happy to say I witnessed no such casualty 

 as that of the pond — nor am I, after two days' scrutiny, inclined 

 to give credit to the story, for few wardrobes in March can boast 

 of two really presentable pinks. I did notice, however, that the 

 most keen of all and forward as any in the run were clad neither 

 in scarlet nor buckskin, but were a knot of hard-riding farmers, 

 with Mr. Simpkin of Hoby their leader on his merits as on 

 his age. So the run went a fast hunting pace over a sweet 

 country till Humberstone Village was reached. After this 



