First Whipper-in. 203 



but fortunately for him the old chestnut mare wouldn't take 

 some rails, and also for me, for I was left coatless and 

 capless, as the man who had taken my clothes had likewise 

 made off after the hounds ; however, I ran two fields, caught 

 up the man with the coat and cap, and the boy with the 

 mare, and was soon on again, and joined the hounds at 

 Kelloe banks, where we changed foxes, and the hero of the 

 pit crack got clean away. 



Doctor Blandford also lived between Coxhoe Bridge 

 and Coxhoe Village, and frequently had a day with us when 

 at liberty. He was exceedingly fond of the sport, and could 

 tell a very good story on sporting items, but not quite, 

 perhaps, up to his neighbour, Mr. W. O. Wood, who, on a 

 bad scenting or slack day, would keep his friends amused 

 and in good spirits with any amount of stories of all kinds, 

 and to suit all tastes, generally in connection with pit life. 

 Dr. Blandford had a wonderful grey mare which he called 

 " Louie." At awkward places he would dismount, and she 

 would follow him over like a dog. It didn't matter where he 

 went, over or through, she likewise went, and no doubt he 

 found it very useful in going his rounds, as she would stick 

 to him like a leech. I fancy Robert Raine of Cowley Houses 

 had the mare at one time, and drove her for some years. 

 Yet another good sportsman from that side was Mr. Thomas 

 Ford, the wood merchant of Shincliffe, who generally rode a 

 useful hunter, especially one called " Music," on which he saw 

 a lot of sport, though he didn't pretend to " bruize " over 

 the country. He was also a patron of the North Durham 

 after Mr. Harvey's retirement, as I once met him at Ferry- 

 hill Station, and he gave me a good account of the North 

 Durham Monday's sport at the latter part of cub-hunting. 

 I was waiting for a parcel at the station on the Wednesday, 



