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 wearj^, canna 

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

 ken but a'm thinking ye'U 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 

 fly, we "raise the hell" and come to a halt in ]Mr. 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 

 way 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 McClure's cliickens o' late and na doot the 

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

 tender heart ye ha' for the widow." "Aye," replied McDougal 

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

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

 house for a wee taste," pleaded 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, McDougal, 

 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 wife 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 



