THE SPORTING WORLD. 89 



pack they were, being a stranger to those out 

 I accosted one with " Good morning, Farmer, 

 whose hounds are these ? " " Good morning. 

 Gentleman, these hounds are mine, and my 



name is , now you know all about it ; " 



such was his reply, and I felt the justness, 

 quaintness, and somewhat sarcastic tone of it. 

 I intended no oifence certainly, but I was 

 wrong, true he was a farmer in the literal 

 sense of the word, but he did not like to be 

 reminded of it in a way that appeared to him 

 as if 1 meant to imply inferiority by the term ; 

 I saw my error but repaired it instantly by 

 remarking " I beg your pardon, but they struck 

 me as so very clever a pack I was anxious to 

 learn to whom they belonged." We were good 

 friends from that moment and remained so 

 ever afterwards, at least so long as I continued 

 to reside in the neighbourhood. 



