84 HUNTING RECOLLECTIONS. 



sure of a run for a Saturday field). 



There was a fresh ticket boy at Hockley 

 Station, and he had not got accustomed to 

 my ways. He said, " You have got to pay 

 for this." I replied, " No, it is my personal 

 luggage." " Well," he answered, 'Hts alive!' 



" MISS GRACE." 



One of the best hunters I have had was a 

 Httle grey mare called Grace. I picked her up 

 for a mere song. She belonged to a local 

 butcher, and was too gay to carry the meat out 

 on his rounds in safety. He bought her at 

 Aldridge's — she had been too much for her 

 former owner. Soon after I had her I dis- 

 covered what a real good sort she was, but she 

 required understanding. I found a noseband 

 which shut off the wind most useful. After a 

 few seasons I could hold her with a thread, but 

 though it was quite loose Grace knew in a 

 moment if the noseband had been left ojff. 



Grace was one of the most wonderful 

 stayers I ever came across; she was only 14-2, 

 and the butcher used to win all the little local 

 races with her. I used to ride her with the Stag 

 Hounds, and if I shook her up I knew I could 

 pass almost anything out ; she bounded over the 

 biggest places as though they were gutters. 



During the first summer the butcher and 

 his friends came and asked me if I could lend 

 her to them to pull off the local races as usual. 

 No doubt I was to " stand in," but I declined 



