A Day With Lord Rothschild's Staghounds 183 



needs mending; however, if the fog is as thick to-morrow no 

 one will be the wiser whether I have "anything to wear" or 

 not. "If I can come." Yes, if I can crawl I will come. Wonder 

 if the fog will hft. What is the forecast for to-morrow? "Sta- 

 tionary barometer, London and vicinity, Cloudy and fog." 



I was slow making friends with INIorpheiis that night 

 and when finally he took a hand he was so shy about it that 

 my dreams came in a tangle. It seemed that while lying in a 

 puddle of ice water (that was owing to the damp linen sheet 

 that nothing could warm), a great stag came to the puddle to 

 quench his tliirst, wliich was so great that it seemed he would 

 drink all the water and thus expose the dreamer's hiding 

 place, for he had "nothing to wear" and had taken to this 

 refuge in hopes the riders would pass him unobserved. Then 

 came the hounds, and they all commenced to drink and they 

 were as thirsty as the stag, who still continued to guzzle do^vn 

 the water until the pond was nearly dry. A few pond lily 

 leaves were now all that were left by way of covering and he 

 knew how Eve must have felt with all the animals of the garden 

 staring at her when she and Adam received notice to vacate, — 

 she having "nothing to wear." The dreamer saw the riders 

 come galloping up to water their horses. Just then there was a 

 pull at the pond lily leaves. The stag was eating them. No, 

 he was mistaken. It was only a gentle pull on the bedclothes 

 by the chambermaid, and, "I have brought your hot water, 

 sir; the clock has gone five, sir. The boots will bring your 

 riding breeches and hunting boots in a moment." 



"How is the weather?" 



"The fog is still on, sir," — going to the window to raise the 

 shade, — "but I think it's surely going to clear, sir." 



It was evident that she had waited on hunting men before. 

 She knew her trade and received a shilling for her cheerful 

 prophecy when otherwise she would have had to do with a 

 sixpence. 



