MR. JAMES MORRELL 195 



able opportunity for Mr. Morrell. His father 

 had died in 1855, and Mr. Morrell had suc- 

 ceeded to the Great Oxford Brewery and the 

 splendid income derived therefrom, he there- 

 fore gladly seized the occasion, and on March 

 the 2ist the harriers were parted with, and 

 Mr. Morrell took from Mr. Morland the Old 

 Berkshire country which Lord Kintore and 

 " Merry John Walker " had made famous. 

 Foxes latterly had been short, and the last 

 season, John Jones had drawn Buscot, it is 

 said, twenty-one times. Mr. Morrell took 

 over from the last master his huntsman, John 

 Jones, and 24 couple of hounds. He also took 

 half Mr. Drake's draft with Mr. Anstruther 

 Thompson of the Atherstone. Forty couple 

 he purchased from Sir Richard Puleston (the 

 Shropshire) ; these hounds had such a habit 

 of singling out one of their number and worry- 

 him that, it is said, the Baronet had in vain 

 offered a reward of ;!^200 to any one who 

 would devise a cure. Will Todd, who took 

 charge of them for Mr. Morrell, did not know 

 of the habit when the hounds were bought by 

 Mr. Morrell. They passed the first night at 

 the Kingstone Inn kennels, and Will, when he 

 heard what was going on, procured a great bell 

 and rung it, and flogged them till he almost 

 alarmed the whole neighbourhood. Next day 



