150 Dick Christian and a story. 



Christian was then with Lord Feversham in the Bedale. I 

 saw this horse, and liked him, and asked the Irishman with him 

 if he could jump water, as there was a good deal of stell-lepping 

 in my country. The son of Erin replied: " Wather ! jump 

 wather ! — Why at home he jumps the d — d places where the 

 ships sail up and down." On the first day of Mr. Parrington's 

 initial season (October 13th, i860), he put his whip, George, on 

 the horse, and, as they were returning to the kennels, a hound 

 slipped through the hedge. Mr. Parrington sent George after 

 him through a gate. After the truant had been sent back to 

 the body of the pack, George found he could not get the new 

 purchase through, and soon lost his patience. Mr. Parrington 

 said, " Be gentle and leave his correction to me." On the 

 following morning, he rode him himself at exercise with hounds, 

 and encouraged him to " try on his games." The Irish 

 "wather jumper " eventually did so, and Mr. Parrington cured 

 him once and for all, and he became a most useful horse. 



To return to Dick, he went to Mr. Cradock, in what is now 

 the Zetland country, when Major Elwon gave up, and stayed 

 with Mr. Cradock till " crocked up " with consumption. His 

 master then waited upon him as though he had been his own 

 son. When the Pale White Horseman was very near at hand, 

 a Miss Newton, a good but somewhat Calvinistic-Puritan type 

 of lady visitor, called on Dick, and during the course of her 

 words of comfort spoke upon the enormity of foxhunting, 

 " Do you think," said Dick, " that because I have worn a 

 scarlet coat and hunted foxhounds I shan't go to Heaven ? " 

 Miss Newton said she hoped he would, " but she had her 

 doubts." " Well ! " answered Dick, " all I can say is that if 

 wearing a pink coat and riding to hounds disqualifies me I've 

 no particular anxiety to go." 



