MISS BADSWORTH, M.F.H. 175 



applause, neither could shouts nor view holloas draw from 

 them aught but smiles. 



Sir Gregory Sorter, amidst many ejaculations from Lady 

 Flora, proposed " The Master," cannoning off the Scylla of 

 the past into the Charybdis of the present before he got 

 fairly into smooth water. 



Miss Badsworth replied, wisely omitting to dwell on the 

 peculiarities of her position beyond remarking that it was 

 one of extreme difficulty for a woman, and asking her audi- 

 ence and those who resided in the country to make allow- 

 ances for her and give her time. 



Every one was in good humour, tongues were unloosed 

 and permission had been given to smokers to light up, when 

 Jack Morgan, having asked leave to propose a toast, rose and 

 rapped on the table with a spoon. 



" Miss Badsworth, ladies and gentlemen," he began, when 

 the cheers which greeted his uprising had subsided, " Lady 

 Flora Parkfield has reminded us that this is a ladies' day ; 

 we are grateful to her ladyship, though I think we should 

 scarcely have forgotten the fact. Not only are we honoured 

 by a lady in the chair, but this board is graced by the pre- 

 sence of a larger number of the fair sex than I ever remember 

 seeing on any like occasion." (Cheers.) " That they should 

 rally round Miss Badsworth and support her in what I may 

 call her arduous task was only to be expected." (" Hear ! 

 hear ! " from Lady Flora.) " But apart from that I feel sure 

 that we men are well aware of the extent to which we are 

 gainers. In proposing, therefore, the toast of 'The Ladies'" 

 (hearty cheers drowned the words which followed, and some 

 minutes elapsed before Jack Morgan could resume) " there 

 is one lady present well known with the — I should say in 

 philanthropic circles, who is apparently so much interested 

 in matters which are entirely novel to her that, I am credibly 

 informed, she accompanied the hounds at exercise in the 

 early hours of this morning." (In vain Lavvy tried to catch 

 his eye; he looked everywhere save in her direction.) " I 

 think, therefore, it is only just that I should, in asking you 



