58 ROYAL ROCK BEAGLE HUNT. 



It was in June, 1863, that the first summer camp was established at 

 Hooton. Very good work was put in there in the way of drill and discipline, 

 and also much enjoyment and healthful pastime fell to the lot of those 

 volunteers fortunate enough to attend the camp. Many pleasant memories 

 of the " camp weeks " exist in the breasts of those who formed the camps 

 in Colonel King's time, and are still retailed to willing ears as occasion 

 arises. 



As the seventieth birthday of Colonel King approached, it was strongly 

 felt in the two institutions with which he was so intimately associated, and 

 wliose existence was so peculiarly identified with his own, that the epoch 

 should be marked in some suitable manner. It need hardly be pointed out 

 that these two institutions were the Royal Rock Beagle Hunt and the ist 

 Cheshire Rifle Volunteers. The beaglers wished to present a portrait of 

 their Master in his hunting rig-out, and the volunteers wished to present a 

 portrait of their Colonel in full uniform. There was some sharp skirmishing 

 over this matter, but the beaglers held their ground, being backed up by 

 some good reasoning. It was felt that " old King'' had been for thirty-five 

 years a beagler, and barely twenty-one a volunteer ; that the prime of his life 

 had been passed with the beagles, and that he was, heart and soul, wrapped 

 up in them. The volunteers therefore gracefully retreated and took up fresh 

 ground. They decided to make the gift complete, and present to their beloved 

 colonel a portrait of his wife. This was carried out on the 23rd Jan., 1880, 

 the night before the beaglers made their presentation. 'Mi: Duncan Graham 

 occupied the chair at the meeting, and made the presentation on behalf of 

 the battalion. Colonel King replied in the following speech : — 



My dear brother Volunteers, — It appears to me that words are weak, in fact 

 powerless, when we want to express feelings and affections. These, if I may so 

 speak, are too delicate, too refined, too exquisite, to be expressed in mere words. 

 I feel this strongly at the present moment. I want words to express what I feel 

 by the kind sentiments w-hich have just been expressed by Mr. Duncan Graham 

 to my dear wife and to myself ; and I want words to express what I feel for this 

 very exquisite gift. All I can say is comprised in three words, weak as they are, 

 I thank you ! But I have not yet expressed all my thanks. Your kind present 

 could not have been in a more charming or more grateful form to me than the 

 one you have chosen in the portrait of as dear, as loving a wife as ever man 

 was blessed with. It will be an ornament and a joy to us in our happy home, 

 and when w^e have passed away to our rest it will remain a priceless memorial 

 to our dear child. I may honestly say of my dear wife that, in her daily life, 

 she sheds all around her a pure Christian light. It has often struck me that 

 dear woman does not get the credit she deserves in this world from her silent 

 influences. Let me apply this to myself. I have been successful as a volunteer 

 officer, and I say this success is due, in a measure, to my wife. She has always 

 encouraged me to do my duty, and never allowed any pleasures of her own to 

 interfere with that duty. In 1859, she went with me to the school of nuisketry 

 at Hythe. For years she attended every drill. She never missed the county 

 rifle meetings at Shotwick and Altcar, and cheerfully miderlook the duty of 



