1898] THE MEYNELL PUPPY SHOW. 255 



Field, August 6tli, 1898 :— 



THE MEYNELL PUPPY SHOW. 



This was the first important function under the new regime, and its success 

 augurs well for the future. Every one came prepared to enjoy himself, or herself, 

 at Mr. Fort's hospitable bidding, and, if looks go for anything, no one was dis- 

 appointed, unless, indeed, as Tom Firr remarked later on, the puppy walkers, 

 whose charges did not get prizes, must be placed in that category. However, as 

 the same speaker added, " they must not mind, as they had done their best, 

 and, after all, if they were beaten, it was only by very little when all was said 

 and done." Curiously enough, Mr. Poyser, who walked Cabinet, the prize- 

 winner amongst the dog hounds to-day, also carried off the first prize last year 

 with Knightley, and the year before with Cracker, while Old Colonel, by Merry- 

 man — Crocus, is fairly entitled to a white hat in virtue of his having scored three 

 winners in succession. Peace be to his ashes. His weary bones are at rest hard 

 by his life-time home. Pupped at the kennels, walked by Charles at 'the kennels, 

 pensioned off in his declining days at the kennels, at the kennels, too, he died 

 and was buried, when his whilom nurse and huntsman decided that the time had 

 come for him, too, to leave his home. A better or stauncher liound never 

 opened on a fox. His good deeds live after him, and his progeny are not only 

 good, like him, but good-looking to boot. Curiously enough, though they inherit 

 his good qualities, yet but few of them own the old dog's plain head and some- 

 what voluminous neckcloth. 



The judging took place in the long passage in front of the kennels, an excellent 

 arrangement, which admitted of a far better view of the proceedings than when 

 the examination was held in one of the yards. The judges were : Tom Firr, the 

 cheery brothers Will and George Sheppard, and Boxall, who galloped a bit faster 

 than his confreres when he rode the second in the Grand National. It took them 

 a long time to decide on the respective merits of Cabinet, by Colonel — Lucy, 

 walked by Mr. Poyser of Mickleover ; Salesman, by Lounger — Spotless, walked 

 by Mr. Gould, of Tutbury ; and Senior, by Damper — Speedy, walked by the late 

 master. After an adjournment had been made to the exercise paddock — perhaps 

 the best in England — Lancet, an undeniably nice hound, by Colonel — Languid, 

 and, therefore, own brother to Cracker, was sent for. A good many people 

 thought that wherever Cabinet was Lancet ought to be, for there was a strong 

 family likeness between them, and they were of much the same stamp . But the 

 judges ruled it otherwise. Possibly Lancet was on the small side, but there was 

 five months' difference in age between him and his half-brother, and five months 

 count for something. So Cabinet was placed first, Salesman second, a nice hound 

 with no lack of quality, even though his stern did curl over his back, and 

 hypercritical judges would, perhaps, have hardly called him quite straight ; while 

 Senior — all over a nice dog, and one who, with time, may beat his conquerors 

 of to-day— was third. On the whole the dogs were hardly equal to last year's 

 entry, but the bitches were an uncommonly smart lot, and set the judges a hard 

 task. Dampish by Damper — Lilac, walked by Mr. Wakelin, Yoxall, looked as 

 well as any of them, being beautifully topped, has a rare back, and is a credit to 

 her walk ; but, unluckily, she is not quite straight. Nothing looked better than 

 she did when she came in in the spring. Finally, the decision lay between 

 Solitude, a bitch of beautiful quality, by Damper — Speedy, and therefore sister to 



