208 SPORTING REMINISCENCES 



She took it meekly. She made some remark 

 concerning magic and foxes and she went in, merely 

 turning to say that she'd thought better of any 

 mischief. 



It was quite some time afterwards before the 

 shop-keeper in the little town showed his books 

 to a favoured few. 



One item runs : 



Dec. i8th : Mrs. Mary Cassidy. i lb. Epsom 

 salts, labelled poison, as per order Mr. . 



" Great things to put a fox in wind," said the 

 man who had thought of the plan. 



Real poisoners existed here long ago in Mr. 

 Nugent Humble's time, and I have seen the horror 

 of hounds staggering and dropping down, but it 

 was all traced to one man and stopped by the 

 gentle expedient of sending him to jail for some- 

 thing which he was possibly innocent of. 



How many weary watches the man who thought 

 of the Epsom salts spent trying to catch this 

 hound murderer. Vigils in wind and rain on a 

 bleak hillside, but never successful. Someone 

 always spied and gave the poor watcher away. 



A Master of Harriers here gave me this letter 

 which he received when he began to hunt. 



" Dear Sir, 



" You may require some drafts on account of 

 next season and I write to say I have hounds to 

 dispose of. 



