Ash Wednesday ; a suggestion. 71 



The South Cheshire did well, I understand, on Tuesday, 

 but without anything sensational in the way of foxes or 

 straight points. 



On Wednesday, Shropshire did not contribute any 

 quota to the sixteen packs that advertised to meet on 

 Ash Wednesday. Might I suggest to Sir Watkin that 

 if any conscientious scruples have hitherto existed among 

 his desciples to meet on this day, that in future " Ash at 

 noon " would be an appropriate exception ? I will answer 

 for my good friend, the rector giving us an excellent 

 twelve minutes from the happy text, " We found him in 

 the wood." From the vantage ground on the top of his 

 church tower Mr. Finch has such excellent opportunities 

 of approving of the straight goers, ani reproving the 

 crooked ways of the many, that his discourse would be of 

 unusual interest, and that it would be easy to point a 

 moral. Of one thing I would promise him, and that is, that 

 provided Sir A¥atkin will head the ; procession, Borderer 

 will be there to supply him with copious notes, and 

 promises him a full congregation. The offertory might 

 go in aid of the Farmers' Benefit Society — and a rare 

 gallop from Ash Wood might wind up the fast day ! 



By-the-bye, some people nowadays are married early 

 only to doff their wedding garments for those of the 

 chase — taking two exhilarating gallops with the Belvoir 

 hounds — the lady carrying off the trophy of the brush at 

 the outset of her honeymoon, and the field cheering 

 them to the echo. How charming ! Major Amcotts and 

 Miss Wilson have indeed inaugurated their wedding 

 most auspiciously, and are the most popular couple in 

 Rutlandshire. 



Thursday, at Acton Burnell, was a bright crisp day, 

 and although Borderer lost the pleasure of another 

 peep at this most interesting of Shropshire homes, yet he 

 was pleased to hear that foxes were there in plenty, and 

 that Thatcher rang the changes on three or four for a 

 couple of hours or more between there and ^Tetherwood 

 and the adjoining places, scent not being good enough to 

 ensure blood. Here, at all events, the true animal exists, 

 and can run when required. 



On the same Thursday Sir Watkin had moi-e popular 

 attractions at Whitchurch, although a Cheshire bye-day 

 prevented the field being of its usual dimensions. Peel's 

 Gorse was the scene of a very short chapter of fun, as the 



