CHAPTER VL 



THE REGENCY AND THE YOUNG SQUIRE 

 OF BARNTON. 



1850-1866. 



As a tribute of respect to the memory of Mr 

 Ramsay, the hounds were not taken into the field 

 during the short part of the season which remained 

 after his death, and on the lapse of a fitting in- 

 terval Mrs Ramsay received an assurance of the 

 sympathy felt with her by those then connected 

 with the Hunt. Subsequent events indicate that 

 she was now the owner of the pack, and conse- 

 quently was in a position to dispose of it as she 

 chose. But any alteration in the arrangement 

 which had previously existed did not commend 

 itself to her, and most generously she resolved 

 that the establishment should be conducted upon 

 the same footing as it had been during her 

 husband's lifetime. Thus she probably carried 

 out to the full what would doubtless have been 

 his wishes, without in any way lessening the 

 possibility which she may then have had in view, 



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