176 Hark Away. 



demonstrative of the many M. F. H.'s that I have 

 seen, said, in his quiet way, — " Then, sir, I should 

 think the best thing you can do under those cir- 

 cumstances is to go home " — the retort courteous, 

 even if shghtly humiHating, to the rash young man 

 in question. 



It is only a short while since that I saw a youth 

 of this class, whose get-up was a sight to behold, 

 mounted upon a bang-tailed, weedy thorough-bred ; 

 he appeared at the meet of a certain pack of harriers, 

 evidently nuts upon himself, thinking that he had 

 done the trick this time, and no mistake. Artless 

 youth ! in vain you attempted the " role " of a 

 genuine sportsman. I admit that your white neck- 

 cloth, horse-shoe pin, green coat, and corduroy 

 breeches were beyond reproach, but why, my ingenu- 

 ous friend, did you button your gaiters down the 

 inside, instead of the outside of your leg? for it 

 entirely spoilt the effect of the whole proceeding ; 

 reminding one that Shakespeare has placed it on 

 record, " that the apparel oft proclaims the man." 

 Certainly it did so on this occasion, and though I 

 felt for you every time the iron of those buttons 

 entered into the calf of your leg, I dared not, for the 

 life of me, suggest that you had put your garments 

 on without thinking of the fitness of things. No, no, 

 I was too clever for that ; fancy suggesting to an 

 ardent and susceptible young sportsman, who evident- 

 ly did not think small beer of himself, that things 

 were in fact, " t'other side upwards." Doubtless he 

 would have dropped into me actively and verbally, 

 and I should not have liked it. 



The kennels of the Surrey Staghounds are at 



