THE LIFE OF A SPORTSMAN 



and as for ivriting the better for it, I do not suppose my scrib- 

 bling propensities will ever exceed a few short epistles to my 

 friends. At the same time, if yourself and my uncle partievj- 

 larly wish that I should travel, I am ready, thouo;h I cannot 

 say willing, to make the required sacrifice.' 



' We will drop the subject,' said the father ; ' I will never 

 ask a son of mine to do that which I perceive he is really 

 averse to ; neither is it a point so near to my heart as to that 

 of your Uncle Beaumont, for reasons which I have heard him 

 give. I confess, my chief desire is, that yoii should learn to 

 fulfil the duties of a covmtry gentleman and large landed pro- 

 prietor — not a few, I assure you — and for which, perhaps, 

 England may, after all, prove the best school. But, Francis, 

 what is all tliis I have heard from Lady Charlotte to-day about 

 your going to keep race-horses ? ' 



' Why, sir,' replied our hero, somewhat taken aback ; ' I am 

 very fond, as you know, of the animal, horse, and have noticed 

 the great pleasure my friend Dauntlej^ takes in breeding. I was 

 just asking Robson yesterday, as I was walking with him in the 

 park, what he thought would be the expense of a few paddocks 

 for the purpose ; and likewise, if you did not object, what part 

 of the park would be the fittest, at the same time not within 

 sight from the house.' 



' Paddocks in the park, my dear Frank ! ' exclaimed Mr. Raby ; 

 ' I cannot consent to anything of the sort. I should be sorry 

 to see the pastoral character of this fine park defiled by a 

 parcel of fiery-red brick walls. Then you quote your friend 

 Dauntley as a precedent for this frolic of yours ! You must 

 bear in mind that Dauntley has twice as many tliousands a 

 year as you have hundreds, and perhaps you have no idea of 

 the expense of a breeding stud on ever so small a scale. I am 

 told that the annual expense of a mai-e, including her produce, 

 exceeds a hundred pounds, saying nothing of the chapter of 

 accidents, and the probability of the produce not being worth as 

 many shillings after another hundred have been expended upon 

 him. In fact, it is asserted, and I believe on good authority, 

 that the present Lord Grosvenor, although a winner of the 

 immense sum of £200,000, is still a loser b}' his breeding 

 paddocks, all expenses being reckoned. Moreover, Frank, 

 although it has been noted for lovers of all field sports — indeed 

 your Uncle Beaumont and poor Andrew are the only exceptions 



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