n4R NIIMEODS HUNTING TOim 



since Jtc iraf; talccn for a butcher! and 1 will give it in his own 

 words. 



"I was driving down the road one day," said he, in his usual 

 facetious style, " w^hen I saw^ a man I knew bargaining for some fat 

 bullocks. 'Cannot you deal?' said I. ' Why, no, Sir,' replied the 

 buyer ; ' the qentleman is too hard with me.' — ' Then let me try and 

 put you together.' So, getting out of my curricle, and handling the 

 beasts, I pronounced them to be worth a certain sum. The buyer 

 doubted it. ' Well, then,' I said, ' here is a butcher coming, we will 

 hear what he has to say.' The butcher looked at the bullocks, and 

 then at me ; and after taking a second look, addressed me thus — 

 ' Why, you are in business, aren't you ? ' — ' Not at present,' I replied, 

 pulling a very long face ; ' I have been unfortunate.' — ' Worse luck ! ' 

 said the butcher ; ' for you are a d — d good judge.' " 



Now I can only account for this in two ways : either the butcher 

 w'as a better judge of beef than of a gentleman, which is by no 

 means improbable ; or, Mr. Ward having his box coat on, the knight 

 of the cleaver did not see those neat boots and leathers for which his 

 person has ever been so distinguished ; neither do I think it possible 

 he could have looked into his face. Mr. Ward, however, would 

 make an excellent master-butcher in one respect ; for, having been a 

 very considerable stall-feeder of cattle for a great number of years, 

 and paid much attention to the system, it must be a good judge that 

 could get the blind side of him in a deal. 



I must now bring my visit to the North to a close. Lot mo 

 conclude it, then, with the following remarks : — 



In the first place, I have to thank all the Sporting World, and my 

 friends in particular, for the kind dispensation granted me in the 

 free use of their names, as, without this indulgence, my pen would 

 have been cramped, and I should have fluttered like a bird with its 

 wings clipped, unable to soar above the ground. I hope I have 

 taken no unfair advantage of this boasted privilege. I am not aware 

 of having stained my paper with falsehood, neither have I dipped my 

 pen in gall : but if it be said I have written in a spirit of partiality ; 

 if kind feeling and friendship have had too great a share in the 

 characters I have drawn, aiid I have heightened them « little beyond 

 the truth, I am sure of pardon here. An abler pen than mine would 



