564 



FJX-IIOUNJJ, FOREST, AND PRAIRIE. 



sloping pasture-land stretching southward from East Haddon. 

 If it is always a luxury to ride over grass, how much more 

 when, as now, that grass is firm almost to hardness, when the 

 fences are clean almost to nakedness, and the ditches have 

 lately been washed and beaten down by snow and storm ! The 

 greenest horse could hardly make a mistake, where to take off 

 and what to do. If he failed to do it, 'twas another matter — 

 and one which could not but be of acute interest to his rider — 

 as was patent, ere the run ended, in many an earthstained 

 garment, an exceptional number in fact. No, sir, No ! I bear 

 you no ill will — but you chose the wrong day. When next you 

 come from afar to show us how the Grass Countries should be 

 crossed, let me, I pray you, have fair warning and you shall 

 willingly have the chance — if I can so arrange it, of finding me 



^ : ■ 9^m 



on a stickey or refusing horse. Then knock him, and me, head 

 over heels into the next field — and I may express my sense of 

 satisfaction and gratitude in other words, than when caught, 

 and thus dealt with, on a promising young one. But this 



