The Close of the Hunting Season. 28 



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fitted in -^vith my inclination, and as the distance 

 from Newport Pagnell to Towcester was fully twelve 

 miles, abundant opportunity was afforded for dis- 

 cussing an excellent cigar, as well as many good 

 things in the hunting line that I and my companion, 

 Mr. Willis, had dropped in for, during the forty years 

 we have met in the hunting field. No wonder 

 that the time sped fleetly and pleasantly, as we 

 travelled along at a rattling pace, by way of 

 Stony Stratford, to Towcester, where onr horses 

 awaited us. 



It is always a matter of speculation when I see 

 a strange horse brought out, as to what are his 

 peculiarities or pleasant little ways of disporting 

 himself. This time, however, I rode a brown horse 

 with a character, " The Veteran," recently purchased 

 from that good judge '' Wise," of Eton — a name 

 familiar to hundreds of sportsmen — and well he 

 maintained his reputation, carrying me in right 

 good form as close to the tail of the Duke of 

 Grafton's clipping pack as the pace would permit. 

 A pleasant trot brought us to the meet, where a 

 large "field" was in waiting. First and foremost 

 was His Grace the Duke of Grafton, who had passed 

 us on our way as he drove to cover in a phaeton 

 drawn by two clever steppers. Next I recognised 

 Lord Valentia and Lord Ellesmere, the Hon. Percy 

 Barrington, the Hon. Captain Grosvenor, Mr. Arthur 

 Byass and Mrs. Byass, an elegant horsewoman, 

 who rides fearlessly and well to hounds, mounted 

 upon a clever chesnut that looked all over .a hunter ; 

 Captain Oliver, who though too lame from a fall to 

 be able to mount a horse, yet attends every meet 



