io THE HUNTING FIELD 



than problematical, seeing he never had his predecessor, 

 and always abused the hounds and all belonging to 

 them, until his daughters were invited to the hunt 

 ball, and he saw Henrietta in the grasp of Sir Rasper 

 Smashgate, a hard-riding baronet, going the rounds 

 of a waltz with all the liveliness of a waggon-wheel. 

 " Wool " then began to mumble to himself something 

 about "more unlikely things," "fine estate," and Mrs. 

 Wool and he jumped to a conclusion that Wool ought 

 to be a "sleeping partner" in the hunt, and have the 

 Master to Fleecy Hall. The thing suited Wool's 

 purpose, and it suits our Master's ; at least it would 

 have done if they had not nearly roasted him alive. 

 And here let us have a word "a la Walker" to 

 Wool and all the sleeping partner tribe. Nay, some 

 managing partners even may be benefited by our 

 truisms, if they would but remember them. Have a 

 good fire in each guest's bedroom when they arrive. 

 People out of gigs, off coaches, out of railway trains 

 are apt to be chilly and cold. There let them warm 

 themselves — but remember, oh remember, that a lot 

 of people put into one room, with lamps, candles, 

 wittles, and waiters, will very soon cook up a devil of 

 an atmosphere. Shutting the shutters, drawing the 

 blinds, closing the curtains, is all very right and 

 meritorious when you are alone; but with such a 

 kettle of fish as we have got at "Wool's" you should 

 take every precaution to have the room cool at 

 starting, and to try to keep it so. A little wood fire 

 looks lively, and soon dies out; but if it has the 

 impudence to live, a pan of wet sand soon knocks 

 the vital spark out of it. 



But we have it not in our hearts to keep our poor 

 Master in this atmosphere any longer. Let us suppose 

 the agony of dinner past. Let us suppose that all 

 has gone on smoothly and well — no soup dribbled 

 down any one's back, no poisonous lamp expired, no 

 tipsy cake alighted on any one's head, no squashed 



