358 A PLEA FOR THE OLD RED RAG 



allowed," he repeated, "and it would do your 'eart 

 good to 'ear the music, for we generally 'as a scent, 

 no tillage being permitted, and no top-dressin' wi' 

 hartificial manures. It's the right country for music, 

 and no mistake. Too much trumpetin', in fact, for 

 some on us, but it's all werry pleasant and cheery ! 



" What about the 'ounds ? Well, you know," said 

 Mr. Jorrocks, with a chuck of his chin, " with such 

 a concatenation o' talent there must be difference of 

 opinion! I don't 'old with a big 'ound, no more does 

 Will Goodall, nor the Squire ; nor yet Sir Richard 

 nor Lord 'Enery ; but old John Warde and Mr. 

 Horlock, why, they'd like to breed 'em as big as 

 helephants ! No matter ! difference of opinion never 

 alters friendship wi' us ! Not but what I likes to 

 talk these matters over, and some day I might tip 

 some o' these twentieth-century chaps another Sporting 

 Lector, for by all accounts they wants a bit o' teachin'. 

 'Elp yourself, and pass the bottle ; the kettle's struck 

 hup a new bile ! 



" Dash my vig ! There's no colour like red, no sport 

 like 'untin' ! But what am I sayin'? 'No colour like 

 mustard ! ' ought to be the cry down here nowadays, 

 and those memorable words of John Jorrocks, M.F.H., 

 'ave 'ardly any meanin' in these degenerate times. 

 What ails them in these days with the Old Red Rag ? 

 Since this mill in South Hafrica scarlet seems knocked 

 clean out o' fashion, and mustard colour's all the rage 

 — shockin' hugly it looks, too, I thinks ! 



" I 'ad a flutter over a good country the other 

 evenin', and lookin' down, saw a crack pack runnin' 

 a fox 'ard and well. Some o' the top-sawyers that 



