CHAPTEE XXYL 



FROZEN OUT STILL. 



being 



jAVING been invited by Mr. Richard Russell, 

 of Otford Castle, to be present at the 

 coursing meeting at Seven oaks, which 

 was fixed for Friday the 18th inst., and 

 offered -a good mount with the West Kent 



Foxhounds on the following morning, I awoke at an 

 early hour to feel the pulse of the weather. The 

 patient was very cold at the extremities, a break-up 

 seemed imminent, but a dense fog and dreary state 

 of the atmosphere gave cause to dread an early 

 renewal and long continuance of this spell of winter 

 and cold weather, which has so effectually put a stop 

 to hunting for the last seven or eight weeks. Being 

 in a state of perplexity, I telegraphed to the Bat and 

 Ball station asking if it was probable that the cours- 

 ing would take place, and the reply from the station 

 master being unsatisfactory, to the effect that there 

 was a dense fog and coursing uncertain, I resolved, 

 under the circumstances, to remain at home. Con- 

 sequently I missed the opportunity of seeing the 

 sport, which I found recorded the next day in tlie 

 columns of BelTs Life, and lost the certainty of a 

 good time of it at Otford. Complaining to a friend 



