A COOL, QUICK, PENULTIMATE. 119 



But Leicestershire should be the head of no sermon. It is 

 merely the heading of a daily record. 



Sunshine and snow made up half of Monday, March 26, with 

 the Quorn. Sunshine, a rattling scent, and a brilliant scurry 

 completed the day. Ellars Gorse, as I will tell, made the even- 

 ing what it was. Lodge on the Wolds gave the meet, and the 

 earlier and rougher play. Easter Monday broke with a bright 

 cold glare that should have done credit to Brighton. It lit us on 

 our distant road to Lodge on the Wolds (distant from every- 

 where, but this season generally the most fortunate of meets). 

 The old Fosse Road forms here the last joint of the telescope to 

 all who look from Leicestershire ; and it focussed a queer scene 

 at somewhere about 12.30 to-day. The broad green boggy lane 

 stretched onwards from Widmerpool, far as the eye could reach. 

 The far distance had a cloud background of inky darkness, while 

 against this the scarlet and sunlit figures of late comers abso- 

 lutely sparkled. We had been frozen in for days. Now there 

 was a sudden break-up in snowstorm and sun. The work of to- 

 day had hardly begun ere the flakes dropped so heavily that in 

 half an hour the landscape was white as in typical winter, men 

 and trees and soil draped thickly in a chilly shroud. In weal 

 often and in woe occasionally, I have hunted before on this 

 quasi-neutral territory between the shires of Leicester and 

 Nottingham. But Lodge on the Wolds has got up its name ; 

 and never has it been my lot to witness such a goodly gathering 

 as on this Easter Monday. A list of names is not as a rule 

 instructive. In this instance — however incomplete — it will go 

 to show how easily is appreciativeness begotten, and expectancy 

 aroused, by recent events. Not only had all the Quorn trooped 

 in ; but the South Nottinghamshire had apparently agreed with 

 one accord not to let slip such a chance. There were, I remem- 

 ber, among many others — and in addition to the Master and his 

 son — Lord Belper and Miss Strutt, Major and Mrs. Robertson, Mr. 

 and Mrs. Gerald Paget, Mr. and Mrs. Cecil Chaplin, Cols. Forester, 

 Chippindall, and Percy, Major Robertson, Capts. Ashton, Boyce, 

 Smith, Messrs Behrens, Brooks of Whatton, Cradock, W. and 



