MR. RALPH ETWALL. 243 



An amusing and correct account can be oiven of 

 his purchase of two greyhounds. A friend of my 

 brother John's had two to dispose of, and said he 

 would willingly give a trial beforehand. So a day 

 was fixed to suit Mr. Etwall, and the place Danebury. 

 Before the dogs were put in the slips Mr. Etwall 

 asked : 



' Have they ever seen a hare ?' 



' Yes,' was the curt reply — ' twenty-four, and killed 

 them all without a miss.' 



This was being asked to swallow too much. In 

 fact, the effect of the confident statement was so Great 

 that the dogs would have been returned untried had 

 not my brother John sai< 1 : 



' Try one, anyhow.' 



' Yes,' replied the owner, ' and put your best dog 

 with him, or he won't see which way mine goes.' 



The suggestion was complied with ; a hare was 

 started, the dogs slipped, and, after a long course, the 

 stranger's dog killed his hare, just entering the rings 

 one hundred yards in front of Mr. Etwall's dog. The 

 surprise of the latter gentleman may be more readily 

 imagined than described. But, recovering himself, 

 he volunteered to have a trial with the stranger's 

 other dog, asking the owner which he thought the 

 best of the two. 



' There's no difference,' was the answer. ' Some- 

 times one kills and sometimes the other.' Then the 

 man added, in absolute seriousness, ' Now do put 



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