CAPTAIN FRANK SUTTON. 49 



PROMINENT FOLLOWERS, t&c. 



Amongst prominent followers of Mr. Tailby's hounds in 

 the sixties I can never forget Capt. Frank Sutton, who then 

 resided at Carlton Curlieu Hall, for he made my father a 

 present of the first pony I ever bestrode! old "Tom," 

 as he was called, was a handsome grey with long flowing 

 mane and tail, but though he stood fully 14 hands and was 

 rather more of a cob than a pony, one could not easily 

 imagine him as a charger ! nevertheless, he did possess a 

 military record, having, so memory recalls, served through- 

 out the campaign in the Crimea, although as the Captain was 

 in the R.H. Guards, I fancy Tom must have gained his 

 laurels when the property of some other gallant owner ! Be 

 this as it may, he was destined to add to them in the field 

 where, amongst quadrupeds of his type, he easily kept a 

 good place, and when an obstacle proved too bi^ to jump 

 generally succeeded in pushing through or rolling over ! 

 hence, upon at least one occasion, his endurance and 

 dexterity were rewarded by the brush ; decorating the 

 saddle at the end of the day. 



I am unable to recount the Captain's exploits in the 

 field, but have little doubt that others could bear witness to 

 his being as well able to hold his own as other members of 

 his family. 



Lord Berners, a large cover owner and constant 

 supporter of the hunt, comes next amongst boyhood's recol- 

 lections. Upon an occasion when I accompanied my father 

 to lunch at Keythorpe, a notable performance, as related by 

 his Lordship, greatly impressed my juvenile imagination. 

 His Lordship, who was very fond of farming and afforest- 

 ation, was, I believe. President of the Leicestershire 

 Agricultural Society, at any rate, that year he took the 

 Chair at the Annual Dinner, held at the " Bell Hotel," 

 Leicester, and when he rose made something like the 

 following statement to those present: — *' Gentlemen, the 



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