252 THE TEINITY FOOT BEAGLES 



some allusion to that small but exalted institution, the Athenaeum, 

 originally, I believe, a sort of debating society for high-caste under- 

 graduates of literary sympathies, whose symposia are to this day 

 called " Teas." The relation of this club to T.F.B. is of some interest. 

 The following entry occurs in Mr. H. S. Gladstone's diary : — 



" In October 1897 I was elected a member of the A.D.C. (Amateur 

 Dramatic Club), but did not take it up. On February 1, 1898, a 

 similar honour was done me by the Athenseum, which I likewise 

 refused. ' Cut your coat according to your cloth ' is a motto to be 

 remembered." 



This indicates what was certainly the fact, that membership of 

 that club involved the possession of more than average means ; and 

 a Master of that period told me that beagling was held to be the 

 poor man's sport, and that T.F.B. officials set their faces against 

 membership of clubs which could in any way, directly or indirectly, 

 interfere with that very wholesome tradition. And when I told 

 him that in these days Master and Whips were made "Athenseum 

 bloods," more or less ex officio, he shook his head. Then comes a 

 further entry in the diary. 



"Being elected a second time to the Athena3um, I wrote home 

 for parental permission, which was, I am delighted to say, granted 

 me. 'Miles' (M. E. Backhouse), Clem (C. Mitford), and Melville 

 Balfour were all elected at the same time ; so beaglers were in force." 



The event is recorded in the T.F.B. Club Book by a neat coloured 



drawing of Athene's literary owl, signed H. S. G. The bird, with 



round spectacled eyes and a big cigar, is drawn in brown ink, and 



is remarkably like Jack Spraggon, who, be it remembered, w^as 



sufficiently literary to dictate the account of the Puffington run to 



Sponge. She, the owl, stands on a red morocco copy of Becliford, 



and is blazoned in a red and white device, which is intended for the 



Athenseum colours,^ though the ink is too deep a red. Below is the 



aspiration — 



Let us hoi^e this bird of omen will be 

 One of good omen to T.F.B. 



and the record that it was " drawn on the occasion of the Master 



^ Pink and white. 



