PARK AND ROAD RIDING. 67 



me, and darted away at greater speed than 

 ever. Right before me was a tree, one heavy 

 bough of which hung very low — and straight 

 for this he made, nor could I turn his course. 

 I knew my fate, and bent on a level with my 

 saddle, but not low enough, for the branch 

 caught me in the forehead and sent me reehng 

 senseless to the ground. 



I soon got over the shock, although my 

 arm (which was badly torn by a projecting 

 branch) gave me some trouble after ; but the 

 bough was cut down the next day by order of 

 the Lord Lieutenant, and the park-rangers 

 still point out the spot as the place where 

 **the lady was nearly killed." 



My third runaway was a hunting adven- 

 ture, and occurred only a few months since. 



I had a letter one morning from an old 

 friend, informing me that a drag-hunt was 

 to take place about thirty miles from Dublin 

 to finish the season with the county harriers, 

 and that he, my friend, wished very much 

 that I would come down in my habit by the 

 mid-day train and ride a big bay horse of his, 

 respecting which he was desirous of obtaining 



