AND THE DUKES OF BICHMOND. 33 



Grant knew well his master's early habits, and, 

 one day, wanting to see him before taking the 

 hounds out, left the kennels before daybreak, so as 

 to be at the House before any one was about. To 

 his astonishment, he met the Duke plodding across 

 the park with a load on his shoulders. 



When they met, the Duke said, " This is too fine 

 a morning, Grant, to go out hunting whilst there is 

 corn to harvest. AYe had better get that field of 

 corn in ; so I have brought some rakes and forks for 

 the men to work with." Ardently fond as his Grace 

 was of hunting, he would abandon it for important 

 business, and all in his employ had to assist in any 

 emergency. Anecdotes related by other old servants 

 equally prove his vigilance and his love of early 

 rising. Some of the household servants were re- 

 turning home at an early hour one morning, after 

 having spent the night at a festivity at Chichester, 

 four miles distant. AVhen, upon approaching the 

 archway into the stable-yard, the foremost of them 

 observed the Duke standing there and passed the 

 word back, "The old Duke is standing at the arch- 

 way," Richard Blunden, the baker, who was one of 

 the hindmost, and not in sight of the Duke, pulled 

 ofi" his coat, and placing it under one of the piles of 

 faggots stacked for his own use, turned up his shirt 

 sleeves, took some faggots upon his back, and quietly 

 proceeded as if about his business. 



D 



