88 FACT AGAINST FICTION. 



and perhaps in their stomachs, instead of a 

 fox. 



Osbaldiston used to say, when he had had a 

 good nm and killed a fox, and was asked by 

 some of his field ^^ if he was going to draw 

 again,'' ^^ Damme, yes. Go home, indeed! Avhat 

 should I do till dark ? " and on he woidd go, 

 dragging his unfortmiate hounds over the country 

 till night set in, without the slightest reference to 

 the best interests of the pack. 



Men would do well to remember that hounds, 

 as well as dogs of other kinds, have a limit to 

 their powers of endurance, and that they liaA^e 

 sense enough to know when their huntsman over- 

 taxes their strength ; and if he gets careless of 

 their best interests, sending them foolishly into 

 cover when they are more fit to seek their 

 straw on the kennel benches, they will get as 

 slack as the useless things called hoimds with 

 Avliich I was doomed to go out when sojourning 

 for a month in the forests of France. 



If it is the wi«li to attain perfection in any- 

 thing, tlie straight road to reach it must not 

 1)0 forsaken ; and when man has to consider that 

 in hunting the tools lie works with are neitlicr 



