Fox Hunting in Scotland 269 



the reins as a sign for Bess to go a little faster and added, 

 "Yer no to be listening, lass, when ye hear talk o' yer neigh- 

 bours." 



Presently, we come to the foot of a little hill and Bess 

 comes to a full stop. "Ga awa' noo, yer no to be weary, canna 

 ye no see the bonnie ricks (stacks) of James Donnon? A dinna 

 ken but a'm thinking ye'll be invited to ha' a wee taste of corn." 

 Thus addressed and carefully persuaded by a light applica- 

 tion of the whip, which for severity would hardly dislodge a 

 flj', we "raise the hell" and come to a halt in ^Ir. Donnon's 

 yard. I looked at my watch and called my conductor's atten- 

 tion to the fact that time was flying and we were not over half 

 waj^ to the meet. Mr. Donnon came out and proceeded to 

 take the mare from the cart (there is not a hitching post in 

 all Scotland). "A'm thinking," said my conductor, "we ha' 

 scant time for stopping. We would like for a wee look among 

 the coos. We'r awa' to Glencliff moor the day," added my 

 host and then looking very serious, "for a fox they say ha' been 

 stealing the widow INIcClure's cliickens o' late and na doot the 

 poor woman is grieving." "Ah!" cried Mr. Donnon, "what a 

 tender heart ye ha' for the wdow." "Aye," replied ^NIcDougal 

 gaily, "but dinna ye mind that Dickens says 'Beware o' the 

 \viddy?' A'm no forgetting that, James." "Come awa' to the 

 house for a wee taste." ])leaded our host. "We're short for 

 time," replied my conductor. "A can understand that," replied 

 Mr. Donnon, "when ye ha' a widdy in yer heart, and a fox in 

 yer mind, but ma missis will no think kind o' ye, INIcDougal, 

 if ye dinna come in and say a word." 



That settled it, and with a look of resignation, and a mis- 

 chievous smile on our host's face, we follow Mr. Donnon to 

 the door, which the good wfe opens before we can reach it, 

 with a genuine Scotch welcome impossible to counterfeit. 



Like many of the farm houses in this part of Scotland, 

 there is one large room and in the middle stands a long dining 



