EEMINISCENCES OF THE LEWS. 267 



indiflference. But even here the time will come 

 when justice will be done and the ridiculous 

 idea abandoned that the Eeminiscences were 

 undertaken with the view of " crabbing the 

 Lews shooting." I entirely repudiate so un- 

 worthy an imputation, and am convinced the 

 exact contrary will be their effect. Now, I will 

 just tell a little Irish story of days of yore, and 

 try to apply it here. 



A long, long time ago, I was invited to a 

 merry party at an Irish country-house, where 

 was a great *' gathering of the clans," for it 

 was in the heart of the best part of the Kil- 

 kenny country, towards the close of the 

 November meeting. We had a rattling run 

 from Knockroe that day, and I arrived at my 

 destination in bare time to dress for dinner. 

 I was in high glee, for I was to ride my pet 

 grey horse the next morning — the draw, Bally- 

 spellan and the Rock. On the stairs I met our 

 kind hostess, who, after the usual salutations, 

 asked me whether I was hungry. I replied 

 that I had been on horseback since six in the 

 morning — it was now near that hour in the 

 evening — done at least fifty (Irish) miles along 

 the road, besides a very heavy run, and this 

 upon one's biscuit and sherry-flask. '^Very 



