THE POST AND THE PADDOCK. 



concussion of their limbs was saved. It was a trou- 

 blesome business for the groom carefully to examine 

 the horse's legs after a hard day's work. Truly might 

 be quoted of him the well-known line from ' Life let 

 us cherish/ 



' He seeks for thorns, and finds his share.' " 



We cannot close our quotation without giving the 

 following refreshing scene from the same memoir : 



"A. few seasons ago, almost the last that Mr. Mus- 

 ters hunted South Notts., the Quorn hounds, with 

 Tom Day, found their fox at Bunny, and brought 

 him by Bradmore, Ruddington, and Plumptre to 

 Tollerton. On the same day the squire had found 

 his fox at Edwalton, and was running him by Gam- 

 stone towards Cotgrave, when either his hounds got 

 on the run of the other fox or vice versa. Both 

 packs, however, immediately joined and ran all well 

 together, with their sterns down, up wind, by Clip- 

 stone and Normanton Wolds, pulling the fox down 

 in less than ten minutes from the junction, in an ash 

 holt near to the Melton turnpike road. It was a 

 scene which none who witnessed ever can forget : 

 the old squire and Tom Day each claiming it to be 

 his run fox, riding side by side over every fence with 

 all the keen ardour and genuine pluck which each 

 had always possessed : each recognizing and pointing 

 to particular hounds then a- head, and running for 

 their fox as his ; each cheering on his own favourites. 

 ' Look at my Watchman and Anxious/ exclaims 

 Mr. Musters. 'Ah ! but, Squire/ answers Day, ' see 

 our old Lounger and Purity ; Purity means to have 

 at him first, and will/ The finish soon takes place. 

 Day jumped off his horse quickly, and was as speedily 

 over the fence and into the plantation, the squire 

 close after him. Day seizing reynard, ejaculated, 

 ' It's my fox, Squire, I'll swear to it among a million, 

 I will/' and he strutted along, holding him in his 



