H. H. ELDER ON "THE MILLER I43 



hound from the noted Bark Hall Beagles. Bailey galloped to the cry at 

 the brickfield end of Beachetts, listened for ten seconds for another halloa 

 that never came, then, taking the hounds back into Ongar Park, we had 

 time to eat our luncheon and forget our sorrows. Found another fox, but 

 could not run him, ill-luck still dodging our footsteps, and so to coverts 

 numerous without result, and as a climax to the whole thing with a brace 

 in front of us at Kettlebury Springs, hounds could acknowledge neither. 

 Anyone who religiously wades through these notes will, I fancy, admit 

 that he has gazed on this side and that of fox hunting ; but to real lovers 

 of the game both sides of the medal have a gleam and lustre of their own, 

 which 



"While the wind shall blow sweet through the woodlands, 

 A blank day shall never tarnish or dim." 



H. H. Elder on " The Miller " — "that right well grinds his 

 corn," sang Mr. Bevan in his poem of Matching Green. At 

 that time Mr. Elder was in the full swing of his enjoyment of 

 the pleasures of hunting. His caviaraderie and good fellow- 

 ship in the hunting field we all know well. No more cheerful 

 companion ever accompanied one to a meet or hacked home 

 with you after a long day ; and Mr. Elder was fond of a long- 

 day, and generally had a bit left in his horse at the finish. He 

 was a good judge of a horse, and owned many a well-bred 

 one in his time. " The Pearl," a thoroughbred chestnut mare, 

 too hot for hunting, which I purchased from him, was one of 

 the best harness mares I ever sat behind. 



Mrs. H. H. Elder was photographed on "The Sweep" 

 simply, she says, for the sake of the animal's portrait. Her 

 numerous friends, however, will be very glad that she was taken 

 with her favourite hunter, an animal formerly the property of 

 Mr. Bevan, and very well known in the hunting field. After 

 leaving Stondon Place in 1885, Mrs. Elder gave up hunting ; 

 her first essay with the E.H. having been in 1873, of which she 

 retains a memento in the shape of a pad mounted as a paper 

 knife, given to her by Mr. Walmsley, bearing the following 

 inscription : — 



" Essex Hunt, 31 March, 1873, Theydon Grove, 2 hrs. 25 min. 



On this occasion she was riding her husband's favourite mare 

 " Kitty." 



In Essex " a Leicestershire rush " is occasionally seen. The holloa 

 away from Orange Wood was the signal for one on Wednesday, February 

 loth. There had been a bumper gathering at Epping Long green, which 

 soon overflowed to the bottom of the slope of the first grass field on the 

 south side of the covert, while the bitch pack drove their fox round the 

 wood and forced him out at the top end. "One outlet" and one only, the 

 fifty yards of high thorn fence with drop beyond 'twixt plantation and 

 covert with two possible places in it, and 150 racing for them who went 

 out first I can't say, but know that three of us went over in a wedge, the 



