204 THE MEYNELL HOUNDS. [1860 



There is a very favourite Meynell story about Tom 

 Leedham's breeches, which cannot be repeated here in toto, 

 ])ecause his inimitable way of telling it was more than 

 half the point. However, one part of it is amusing 

 enough. Tom, being very busy, was measured hy deputy, 

 George Brown, Miss Meynell's pad groom, acting in that 

 capacity, and then they were surprised that the breeches 

 did not fit ! 



While on the subject of stories, the authors of "The 

 Annals of the Warwickshire Hunt" must overlook the 

 repetition here of one which appeared in their work, for 

 it is really too good to be omitted. A gentleman, who 

 had looked overlong " on the wine when 't was red," was 

 asked after dinner to sins a sonsf. 



" But I only know two," he said. " One is. Pop goes 

 the Queen ; and the other is, God save the Weasel ! " 



1860-1861. 



Regular hunting began on October 29 th, but there is 

 nothing much to note for some time in the Hoar Cross 

 diary, except, perhaps, that what we now call the Parson's 

 Gorse at Eadburne is spoken of as Reginald's Gorse, 

 which was the Christian name of its planter. The harvest 

 was very late, for wheat was in the shock, and even uncut, 

 in the fields at the end of November. 



Field, January 12th, 1861, says: — 



On December 12th, 18G0, they met at Dunstall Hall, the seat of Mr. 

 Hardy, M.P. for Dartmouth. A prettier locale for a meet can scarcely be 

 imagined — the garden terraces, backed by the fine conservatory, affording a 

 delightful promenade for a large and gay assemblage of the neighbourhood, with 

 a near view of the gallant pack and the field of horsemen, constantly increasing 

 in numbers, as one well-mounted pink after another trotted up to the meet. 

 After the usual breakfast, the field moved off to the covert, a small wood on a 

 hill, nearly a mile from the house. Scarcely had the hounds entered, when 

 Charles Leedham's halloo gave the welcome signal that reynard was not only 

 found, but away ! So instantaneously did the hounds get after him, and so 

 extraordinary was their pace, that though the field lost no time, the hounds had 

 crossed the valley, and were going up the opposite hill, before it was possible for 

 the leading men to overtake them. The first point made by reynard was Range- 

 moor, but so hotly was he pressed, that he had no time to duck in the covert, 



