SAINT VALENTINE. 207 



into a stackyard at that place. Yet 'twas a grand good run — 

 such as we are treated to but few times in a winter, even in the 

 grass countries. 



SAINT VALENTINE. 



Of the six days for work and play, Monday has everywhere 

 the most peremptory claim upon hunting men. No one will 

 miss a Monday if he can help it, let the country be what it will, 

 let the weather be what it may — and there is more zest, more 

 keenness, perceptible on the first out-day of the week, than on 

 any chosen occasion of later day. The giants refreshed come 

 forth with vigour and ambition that settle down rather than 

 intensify under fatigue and routine. But, given a choice 

 Grafton meet, and an atmosphere as cool, bright, and ex- 

 hilarating as a decent sample of '7-i — no wonder the opportunity 

 is gladly and gaily seized by a very host. I fear no contradic- 

 tion when I speak of the Grafton lady-pack as offering a 

 pattern almost incomparable — in work, beauty, and uniformity. 

 And, hunted as they are, they exhibit the faculty of accounting 

 for their foxes to a degree that is truly admirable. Quick, 

 handy, lathy and brilliant, they drive and hunt, charm the eye 

 and teach a lesson. These ladies were at Little Preston on 

 Saint Valentine's Day of the present year, when the sun shone 

 bright, the wind blew cold, the turf was hard and dry, and the 

 plough rough and dusty : and they ran a brace of foxes down — 

 killing one and leaving another underground. In more correct 

 order, the latter first. He was found at Ganderton — the which 

 is a small hollow wood between Preston and Canons Ashby, the 

 three places marking a circle now followed and traversed for an 

 hour and a half. We all jumped a fence in a desperate hurry 

 at starting — and, for the rest, Ave needed not, ought not, to 

 have thrown a leap again. A very road-running fox, in truth — 

 and, even if this road-running brought out the powers of the 

 pack to the utmost, the addition of some variety in the ride 

 beyond the labour of adaptation and the misapplication of 

 whip-handles to gate-latches would not have been altogether 



