542 FOX-HOUND, FOREST, AND PRAIRIE. 



skin, and to do their filial duty. This they accomplished by 

 bidding the Governor get up as fast as he could, and flinging a 

 long shot of denunciation (and self exculpation) after the flying 

 brother. Who shall say now that foxhunting is not a levelling 

 pursuit 1 



It is said that a certain fashionable congregation were recently 

 ■soundly trounced for taking their ease on the day of rest with 

 their sporting paper as befitting literature. The reproach shall 

 not lie upon The Field. Here is a Sunday story, and a, fact of 

 to-day — which will, besides, serve to show that the young fry of 

 the Grass Countries are brought up not solely secularly. The 

 small son of one of the very good yeomen who form the back- 

 bone of the Pytchley Hunt was to have his ride with hounds 

 ■at North Kilworth this morning. When kneeling to his prayers 

 overnight — his little brain glowing with thought of the morrow 

 — he said, " Mother, will it be wicked if I pray I may get the 

 brush 1 " " No my boy," replied the sensible matron ; " you might 

 •do worse than that." " Then I will," said the little one ; and 

 he did, in all earnestness and piety. This morning he appeared 

 at the meet on his shaggy pony ; his father told the episode to 

 the Master, and when the first fox was killed at Bosworth, His 

 Lordship, with true kindly feeling, presented it to the boy. You 

 •can draw your own conclusion, as to the virtue of innocent 

 •dreams and prayers. 



MUGGY MORNINGS. 



Granted that weather is an important factor in fox-hunting 

 — its friendly help has been with us in the week past, enhancing 

 each day's outing, putting a pleasant aspect on all we saw and 

 all we did, and pushing optimism, as it were, down our throats. 

 You and I love hunting for hunting's sake — in fair weather and 

 in foul ? But fair for choice. We would rather not be blown 

 about ; we would rather not be chilled to our toes ; we would 

 rather not curl and shrink from a stream of cold water down 



