The Betirement of Mr. Allen from Wheatland. 67 



lands, at Hawkstone, and a clipper I hear it was ; in fact, 

 a friend tells me that it was a regular " at home " of foxes 

 in the High Woods that Squire Lonsdale came to dis- 

 turb. Quite a dozen went away in different directions. 

 The first was rattled from Grotto Hill, along the 

 Terrace to the Vineyard, then back along the Terrace 

 and away to Kenstone road and hills, back to the Vine- 

 yard, where he was nearly caught, but managed to 

 struggle through Kenstone Gorse and nearly to the Hazels 

 before he was killed — time two hours, and a fine old dog 

 fox. Drew Bury Walls for a second fox, and found five 

 or six ; raced through Kenstone Hills, and away above 

 Hopton, through Tunstall Wood, and on nearly to Pej^low 

 Hall, then, bending back to the right, got to ground on 

 Hodnet Heath — fifty minutes, all racing. A rare day's 

 sport say the select few that were there. To-day's doings 

 will, in a great measure, account for the scarcity of foses 

 of late in the Vale. Several bye-day Saturdays are to 

 follow. Always draw a hill at this season, says Borderer. 

 Several foxes were left at Pimhill last Friday. Many an 

 " at home " will now be disturbed — only, please Thatcher^ 

 be gallant, and spare the ladies ! 



Probably few weekly budgets will equal this one, 

 although another fortnight remains to us of glorious 

 February. 



The Wheatland and Mr. J. C. Allen have come 

 to loggerheads, and this sporting country will be vacant 

 for next year. I fancy the right man may yet be found 

 for it, but its fates have not been propitious of late. 



I promised to return this week to the unpleasant 

 subject of the fox shot at Benthall. The deed has been. 

 a good deal discussed and ferreted into. It seems that 

 a farmer named Dale, living in an adjoining farm, the 

 property of Captain Severne, M.P., bragged a short time 

 back that he had shot at a fox, but did not think that he 

 had hit it. This occurred before the finding of the 

 dead fox. I'he probability is, that, having tried his hand 

 once, he did so again — this time effectually. The 

 Ground Game Act has much to answer for, but it does 

 not enumerate foxes as fair game for occupiers of land 

 to shoot at. I should think Captain Severne will shake 

 his head over this business when he hears of it. No 

 better sportman lives south of the river. I shall never 

 forget a great run we had from Wallop, in Robert Burton's 



