FARMING AND FOXHUNTING 



Capt. Kingscote possessed the true instincts of a 

 Master of Hounds. He never missed an oppor- 

 tunity to entertain the farmers. He could always 

 strike the right note when opportunity presented 

 itself. At the Wire Ball he and Mrs. Kingscote 

 played their parts well. I take off my hat to 

 Mrs. Kingscote, for no one knew the technique of 

 foxhunting better than she. The Wire Ball even- 

 ing was the moment to play host and hostess to 

 the farmers, who usually turned up in good numbers. 

 Were they not the most important part of the 

 Hunt ? Right royally did she and Capt. Kingscote 

 do their entertainment at this annual function. I 

 think I am expressing the opinion of the farmers 

 when I say that expressions of regret were many 

 when they in their turn passed on. 



These extraordinary men like Capt. Kingscote 

 we do meet now and then. They seem to possess 

 what I call for want of a better expression, " the 

 Nelsonic touch," the ladies just cannot resist them. 

 I remember one day we were hunting at Bassett 

 Down and he said to me, " You go along the 

 bottom Charley and see that the fox does not 

 break away below, and I will put hounds in on 

 the top." Well, in carrying out my orders I ran 

 into the lady of the house, Mrs. Arnold Foster, 

 whom I found was not too pleased to see hounds, 

 she was afraid that they would damage her flower 

 borders, and I found that I was quite unable to 

 assure her that they would not. Thereupon the 

 Master appeared and I proceeded to introduce him. 

 He, of course, taking in the situation at a glance, 



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