A Ladi/s AccldoU — Hanlirickc Grange. 17 



"head. We all rejoice that she is recovering, and \Yill not 

 be permanently the worse. Moral : Every horse to his 

 trade, especially where a lady is concerned. When shall 

 we have a really patent safety ladies' pommel ? 



Friday, after a terrible night's rain, brought a certain 

 amount of sunshine and a softer air, but with scarce a 

 calmer atmosphere. The Shropshire were at Hardwicke 

 Grange, where Mr. Bibby has dihgently tended a lot of 

 foxes for the season's amusement, and not allowed them 

 to be slaughtered during the cub hunting. In the 

 absence of the Master, Mr. A. P. LLoyd did the double 

 duty of Master and huntsman, Thatcher being only 

 present on wheels. Hardwicke Gorse did the needful 

 without any delay, and tlie fox, after much heading, 

 anade good its exit across the railway to Hardwicke 

 Park, then back again with more chorus of men than of 

 hounds, leaving Hadnal village on his left, as if for the 

 'Gubbalds. Running parallel with the railway, however, 

 nearly to Battlefield, they once more re-crossed it, and 

 eventually found themselves at Haughmond Abbey. 

 Not a bad point — and certain choice spirits were fain to 

 sing praises of the gallop, which the man in a balloon 

 tells Borderer was somewhat of a delusion — holloa 

 to holloa — and very little hunting about it. Anyhow^ the 

 same tactics were pursued back by the Ring Bank, and 

 eventually nearly to Hadnal village, where no further 

 intelligence could be gleaned. Had hounds really run 

 to-day with the ground in its present state, what a 

 scatteration of ardent sportsmen there would have been ! 

 In the evening from the Forge coppice, close to Moreton 

 •Corbet, hounds ran really prettily up to Sir Vincent's 

 .gorse, where Booker lost trace of him. 



On Saturday, at Aldersey, I understand Sir Watkiu 

 had a pretty good day, of which, I trust, you will hear 

 particulars shortly. That beautiful Cheshire vale must 

 for once in its life have ridden heavily — and the 

 Aldersey brook was a foaming chasnt, I should say ! 



For the last three years the Severn has not rolled 

 down such a flood as it now does. Let us hope it comes 

 <on purpose to wash down all the mud that the elections 

 have heaped un its fair surroundings, and that, as it 

 :slowly retires within its banks, into its wonted (juiet 



