316 REMINISCENCES OF 



" The object of my telegram was to get a positive 

 ' Yes ' or ' No ' now, for I should be in a mess if I 

 engage servants and have not the country, and in a 

 worse mess if I have the country and no servants, 

 which will be the result if I have to wait longer. If 

 your answer is right, I will go up and see Payne. I 

 have written to him again." 



I wrote again to Payne only proposing to engage 

 him as huntsman. 



April, 1864. 

 " SlR,- 



" I shall be very pleased to enter your 

 service as huntsman upon the same terms as I am 

 at present, and will do everything in my power 

 to give you satisfaction. I could not possibly go 

 back to two days a week ; I would rather hunt 

 six. . . . 



" I am sorry to say we have had distemper very 

 bad ; has left us very short ; shall require three or 

 four couple more than I have. 



" Your most obedt. servt, 



" C. PAYNE." 



The next thing was to find a house. Pitsford 

 had been the residence of many former masters- 

 George Payne, etc. and was now the property of 

 Lord Overstone. I wrote to Bob Lindsay, his son- 

 in-law, the late Lord Wantage. He replied : 



"gth May, 1864. 



" I have had a conversation with Overstone with 

 regard to Pitsford House, which has only lately 



