76 WOODLAND, MOOR, AND STREAM 



It was wonderful how quickly Farmer Giles was 

 brought to modify these strong opinions on fox-hunt- 

 ing by the appearance of a two-gallon bottle labelled 

 Old Irish, ' with the Hunt's compliments.' He un- 

 corked the bottle, smelt and tasted it more than once, 

 with and without sugar, ejaculating between each sip, 

 ' Massy, oh alive ! ' Then he walked to those fields 

 again over which they had ridden. Could it have 

 been the softening influence of the Old Irish, or had 

 he been making mountains out of molehills ? for when 

 he got back he told his ' missus,' with a beaming 

 smile of benevolence on his face, that, ' Raly, con- 

 siderin' the lot o' gentlemen as 'ad rid over the craps, 

 the little harm as he cum across waunt wuth speakin' 



