THE MIDLOTHIAN 



great deal of difference to everyone to know that the regime is a good one. 

 Whether it is due to this state of affairs or to Mr. Stack's gift of making the 

 farmers happy is difficult to say, but it is probably due to a little of both. At 

 any rate, in the five seasons during which the present Master has presided 

 over the pack, he has succeeded in getting them to take a stand which few 

 of the westerners do. They are exceptionally liberal; in fact, Mr. Stack 

 informs us that most of them are not only willing but desirous of having the 

 Hunt m their country. As has been pomted out in several of the articles in 

 this book, the landowners have many things to gain by having foxhounds on 

 their land, and this is especially true of those owning farms near a prosperous 

 country club in the vicinity of a big city. Many a prospective landowner 

 gets his first glimpse of his future country-seat while following hounds, and 

 the more intelligent class of farmers are not slow in finding this out. The 

 question of being allowed to ride over the land is a very great one in America, 

 and particularly in the west, where there are few settlers from the mother 

 country who understand the game and like it. Wire, too, plays an impor- 

 tant, though disagreeable, part in the history of most of the western packs, 

 and this evil has been overcome at Midlothian by panelling fences with timber 

 in the usual manner. The country, except for this evil, is unusually good in 

 wet as well as in dry weather, as it is, for the most part, sound high land. 



The pack is composed of American hounds, which the Master considers 

 better suited to his purposes, and as most of the subscribers are business men, 

 the Club numbering few ladies among its followers, the drag is resorted to 

 as a rule, but it is hoped that in due course of time, one day a week will be 

 devoted to fox-hunting. 



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