CHAPTER XV 

 IRELAND STILL UNCHANGED AT THE LAST 



I HAVE seen hunting now pass through the 

 phase of the war. At first we talked of Christ- 

 mas. We kept their horses fit. Then with numb 

 hearts we saw the spring creep round and spoke 

 of " next season." And who reaUsed then how 

 many seasons were to come and go, and how 

 many saddles would never be filled again ? They 

 were strange things those meets during the first 

 year of war. Newspapers were sent for before we 

 started to see how it was going. Good news 

 to-day ! — They will be back before the season 

 ends. We believed it then. . . . 



So through the endless summer with the loneli- 

 ness brightened by letters, with every day a 

 strain ; and to the next year, when the fields were 

 so small one realised, and one no longer hoped. 

 I have seen a meet of three people not including 

 the Master and hunt servants, and even they 

 changed, for two went out to fight. 



Good horses grew scarce, anything was worth 

 charger price, and it no longer paid the dealers to 

 train a hunter, as a sound valuable horse was 

 worth no more than a medium one. 



281 



