108 UNASKED ADVICE. 



and, again, ladies are more likely to be hurt than men. 

 A loose horse with a side saddle on is as unpleasant a 

 sight as can be seen in the hunting field ; and, even if 

 the fair rider be not hurt, is it desirable that she should 

 be seen standing on her head (in any costume), crawling 

 on hands and knees out of a wet ditch, or sitting on a 

 stile, perhaps minus her skirt and half her tresses, waiting 

 for her steed to be brought back to her ? Still she does 

 not spoil sport, to speak of. The ladies who do so are 

 ladies in authority, e. g., a cold bow from the wife of the 

 M. F. H., in place of a cheery casual observation, has 

 often caused a wire to remain up which would have been 

 banished at once. Subscriptions have melted away on 

 provocation equally small ; coverts are blank which would 

 otherwise have held a fox. " Why," says Jones, " should 

 not I shoot to-day ? Certainly the hounds will be here 

 next week ; but I don't hunt, and if Mrs. Rattlecover is 

 too fine to know me, what do I gain by losing my 

 sport ?" An M. F. H. is bound to be hail fellow well 

 met with everyone who owns a hedgerow in his hunt. 

 His wife need not be this ; but, if she chooses, she and 

 the remark applies to the wife of every public character 

 may either diminish or increase the popularity of her 

 lord. 



When it is snowing and freezing we have time for 

 reflection on all subjects ; and some idle moments may 

 be less profitably employed than in consideration on 



How sport is spoiled." 



