BICES TERSE IRE. 151 



interview came abruptly to an end. (Think I shall ride at a 

 fair post and rails now, and judge if a fall over timber can hurt 

 half as much.) 



BICESTERSHIRE. 



A MOST pleasing feature in the Southern Midlands is to be 

 found in the grassy sides attached to every road ; and that, even 

 after the recent deluges, allows of a safe, clear gallop to covert, 

 or of a long pipe-opener on an off-day. The number and 

 direction of these roads are amplified to a degree truly extra- 

 ordinary ; but the way-wardens, of Northamptonshire at all 

 events, decorate all crossings and turnings lavishly with sign- 

 posts that will almost tell you the way to Paradise, or even the 

 number of miles you must travel to get there. That these are 

 sufficient guides for ordinary purposes I can gratefully testify ; 

 but if the kindly officials to whom I refer will forgive me, I will 

 mention (in all good faith) an instance in which even their fore- 

 thought failed signally to carry out their public-spirited inten- 

 tions. On a certain day, and at a certain hour, a certain hunt, 

 as written below, turned abruptly in its cross-country track to 

 regain a covert just left ; and as is usual in such sudden 

 counter-marches, everybody in the field encountered everybody 

 else — rider to rider — save one, who was footing it hard to the 

 old familiar cry, " Hi, catch," &c. Everybody would only too 

 gladly have clone so, but where was the etcetera ? This was 

 evidently the question the well-breeched and unwilling pedes- 

 trian asked himself, for he redoubled his gait till breathlessly 

 he reached the signpost at the four cross roads. Banbury so 

 many miles, Daventry so many less, and Lutterworth so many 



more ! But where, oh where ? " Three to one on the 



field," said the signpost. " Which way has he gone?" cried his 

 comrades. But to neither could he frame a word of reply; for 

 not even the glimmer of a short-cropped tail was to be seen in 

 the distance. In bitterness of soul he cast his stirrups on the 

 ground (he had 'em both, for safety-stirrups possess ever this 



