32 THE MASTER OF HOUNDS 



admiration. Who could be more genial than the cur- 

 mudgeon ? The wife of the small farmer has lost two 

 or three chickens, but the curmudgeon makes the loss 

 amount to twelve or thirteen when he writes the follow- 

 ing type of letter to the Hunt Secretary : 



" Dear A , — You will be sorry to hear that Mrs. 



Wheatsheaf lost a dozen or thirteen fowls on Tuesday 

 night last, which she had been fattening for market. 

 Wheatsheaf, like the staunch supporter of hunting that 

 you know him to be, swears that he will make no claim. 

 But, as I know, the poor chap cannot afford to lose his 

 poultry. Therefore, I am sure that you will thank me 

 for bringing his loss before your notice. (Here follows 

 palaver for three pages.) Don't forget to give me a call 

 whenever you are passing. — Yours, &c., 



"PAUL PRY CURMUDGEON." 



It will thus be seen that the curmudgeon has com- 

 mitted two acts of mischief : he has robbed the Hunt 

 funds, and he has caused farmer Wheatsheaf to think that 

 he can always get the most extravagant compensation for 

 the most trivial damage. Now, I do not suggest for a 

 moment that the curmudgeon exaggerated the number 

 of fowls killed with any dishonest intention. Probably 

 he did not know the exact number, but had only heard 

 that a fox had visited Mrs. Wheatsheaf's poultry-yard. 

 That would be sufficient for him. It is his wish, and 

 he generally succeeds in attaining this wish, to pose as 

 the farmers' friend. He likes to be king of his own 



