HUNTING CAPS 



O^O 



On Monday, December 2, met at High Laver Church. 

 Drew Matchinof Park, Prior's Wood, Brick Kilns, Row Wood, 

 and Lancaster Springs, all blank. Our Row Wood fox's death 

 was much regretted when his covert was drawn blank. Rode 

 " Carlow " whom I had reserved* for to-day thinking the meet 

 a good one, but the day decidedly the worst of the season 

 hitherto. J. Burge remarked how handy I had made "Carlow"' 

 with reference to the quiet and clever way in which he had 

 taken his fences during the day while drawing and going from 

 covert to covert. I had some fun at a gate with a drop on the 

 off-side. The Huntsman and Kick! had Qone over with the 

 hounds. I was behind and by the time I walked up thirty or 

 forty horses were congested at the gate, they or their riders, 

 and many of them good ones too, e.£\, Bramstone Stanes, not 

 liking its complexion. Having asked them whether they 

 intended to take it or clear the way, and Graham exclaiming 

 " Let's see ' Carlow' do it," the latter alternative was chosen, 

 and I put " Carlow" at the gate. To my surprise, he refused. 

 Ingersole (in his cap and on a weedy grey brute whose knees 

 had been broken before and reopened this morning by being 

 too reverentially disposed on the other side of a fence into a 

 road) then essayed with good pluck, but fortunately for him, 

 his steed followed " Carlow's " example. " Carlow " was then 

 put at it again, and again declined it, and Ingersole and his 

 weed followed suit. A voice then exclaimed that " it was the 

 caps which the horses could not carry over the gate,' upon 

 which indignity to my favourite head-gear, I borrowed Inger- 

 sole's whip and charged "Carlow" at the gate, giving him a 

 smart stroke on the shoulder and he flew over beautifully. 



" How TO Live to Eighty." 



Monday, December 9. The frost still continuing and the 

 wind from the N.E. keener, if possible than ever, I took my 

 shower bath standing upon ice and went to town in disgust. 



Monday, December 30. Met at Thornwood Common and 

 redeemed my promise to Jack by borrowing Mr. Broughton's 

 pony and taking him with me and leaving him in charge of 

 Thomas, with whose assistance and the steady pony he 

 managed very much better than I anticipated, displaying the 

 right stuff for an embryo fox-hunter and enjoying the sport 

 thoroughly. "Carlow" was in capital case and went excel- 

 lently, so that one (Littler) remarked that it was worth ^200 to 

 see him trot, and another (Reeves) observed that I had my 

 " riding breeches on." 



* How often have I reserved a good horse for a favourite meet with similar results. — Ed. 



