96 THE MEYNELL HOUNDS. 



with the harriers and the Meynell, and rode at most 

 of the local race meetings with a fair amount of success. 



When Mr. Crowder gave up the harriers which he 

 had had at Ashbourne, Mr. Okeover built kennels at May- 

 field, and Mr. Cotton, with Mr. Crowder's hounds, which 

 the latter gave to the country, showed excellent sport, 

 carrying the horn himself, and with Thirlby as whipper- 

 in and kennel-huntsman. Towards the end of his time 

 the latter's riding was of the very cautious order, and he 

 would ride up and down a fence looking for a place 

 easy enough for him. Mrs. Cotton used to call out — 



" What is the matter, Thirlby ? " 



" Well, ma'am, I was thinking of my family," was the 

 usual answer, to which she would reply — 



" Well, they're not in that ditch, so it's no use looking 

 for them. Go on ! " 



When Mr. Cotton was at Mayfield he brought a string 

 of horses from Virginia. He put up a small schooling 

 fence to jump them over, and a friend bet him half a 

 crown that he would not get a fall with any of these 

 horses. One of them went through it without attempting 

 to rise. Whereupon he rode the horse at some strong 

 palings, which the animal went crash through, rolled 

 on to his rider, trapping his leg and putting out his 

 thumb. " I've won your half-crown, old chap ! " he called 

 out cheerfully, as he lay on the ground, with the horse on 

 his leg. Times being rather bad with him about this 

 period, the bailiffs paid him frequent visits, but he 

 utilized them in various ways. One he turned into a 

 second horseman pro tern., another into a whipper-in, 

 while a third officiated as kennelman, the regular one 

 being liors de combat. 



Mr. Cotton was Master of the West Meath for six 

 months, and while there, a farmer shut a high farmyard 

 gate in his face, defying him to pass, and guarding the 

 way with a pitchfork. The Master solved the problem by 

 riding his black mare at the lot, and clearing gate, man, 

 pitchfork and all. " Squire " Chandos-Pole, under similar 



