LETTER xxiir. 253 



and with him and two or three others, the hounds also 

 rushed in, and took possession. The ladies fled down 

 to the lower regions, leaving to their domestics, who 

 were all women, the ejection of these unwelcome visitors 

 as they best could. Besoms and brushes were put in 

 requisition, but to little avail ; the hounds showed fight, 

 and, having gained possession of the drawing room, held 

 their ground, or rather, their floor. " Handsome Jack," 

 who was quite a ladies' man, having, by his good looks 

 and soft words, gained over the pretty housemaid, was 

 seen looking out with her, all smiles and good humour, 

 at one window ; and from another, some of the hounds, 

 as if quite at home, were gazing down on their astonished 

 companions in the yard below. To dislodge Mr. Rey- 

 nolds from his hiding-place was not, however, quite so 

 easy a matter. The tongs were put in requisition, but at 

 the first nip, the fox ascended higher. They then tried 

 the broom, which brought down lots of soot, so that 

 Handsome Jack and his companions were very soon as 

 black in the face as sweeps ; but Mr. Reynolds would 

 not come down. They then sent one of the hounds up 

 the chimney, the whippers-in shutting the others out- 

 side the door. This had the desired effect, and in a few 

 minutes down came hound and fox into the room below, 

 with such a cloud of soot that it saved the fair ladies of 

 the mansion the necessity of employing a chimney sweeper 

 for the ensuing three months. " Oh dear, oh dear !" 

 exclaimed the pretty housemaid, " the carpet is entirely 

 ruined ! What will my mistress say !" " Oh, never 

 mind, my dear," said Handsome Jack, " this don't hap- 

 pen every day in the week." " No, Sir, once in one's 

 life is quite enough for such a job as this will be." 



