2 OCCASIONAL HAPPY THOUGHTS. 



through the cut of his trousers. In fact, it was this pecuh'ar- 

 cut that originally gave him the idea of riding, as, up to the 

 age of twenty-two, he had never crossed a horse. But, 

 happening one day to change his tailor, and being fitted by 

 his new one with this remarkable sportingly cut pair of 

 trousers, and, further, being congratulated by every one on 

 their admirable fit, it occurred to him that he had better be 

 consistent from the sole of his boots to the top of his hat, 

 and so, when he next appeared in public, he was sporting all 

 over. He was away for some time — at least, his friends lost 

 s'ght of him, — and, when I saw him again, it was out with 

 the hounds, about sixteen miles from my cottage, when I had 

 driven over in order to see the throw-off. 



Happy Thought. — The pleasantest way of seeing a "throw- 

 off" is to be seated, comfortably, in a trap, drawn by a horse 

 that woii't start at anything. How one can theji remark on 

 the want of pluck shown by the riders, and what an exciting 

 spectacle it is to see them take the first fence ! One enjoys 

 it, too, all the more if you've had the slightest experience of 

 taking the first fence yourself. I have. Then the fun of 

 crying out " Yoicks ! " "Tallyho ! " and" Gone away !'' from 

 a seat in a carriage. Then the jokes which you can safely 

 make to a nervous rider (always from your seat in the 

 carriage, when he comes up to say " Good morning ; " for 

 instance), about the "throw-off." One can say, " I've come to 

 see the hounds throw-off. Your horse looks as if it was going 

 to throw-off first." Or something light and airy to that 

 eftect. Then you can inquire of some one else " How he 



