COL. ANSTRUTHER THOMSON 141 



CHAPTER XI. 



ATHERSTONE : SECOND TIME, 1850. 



I ATTENDED the hunt meeting at Atherstone on i8th 

 April, and they were all very willing that I should 

 return. But I said, " Where am I to live?" Mr. 

 Bracebridge touched me on the arm and went to the 

 window. I followed him, and he said, " I will lend 

 you my house". Atherstone Hall was a capital 

 house, most convenient, and about a mile from the 

 kennels. One side of the church was in the garden. 

 He said, "They are repairing the church, and if 

 you will give a donation towards the repairs I will 

 lend you the house ". I willingly agreed, and gave 

 a cheque for ^100 towards the repairs. 



Mr. and Mrs. Bracebridge were going abroad for 

 the winter. When the Crimean War broke out they 

 went out with Miss Nightingale and took care of 

 her. 



Mr. Bracebridge was a most eccentric man. He 

 used to ride about on a grey Arab horse, dressed in 

 loose white trousers, a broad-brimmed straw hat and 

 a red umbrella. He bought Mount Hymettus in 

 Greece, famous for honey, and the honey was used 

 in making blacking in England. He was very clever 

 and well-informed. 



