THE BEST OF THE FUN 



CHAPTER I 

 A novice's experiences of meath 



FIRST impressions are ever more vivid, occasionally 

 more truthful, and generally more characteristic of 

 subject than fully matured conclusions. Thus I shall 

 proceed to treat you, my reader, much as the newly 

 transported youngster in India or China does his fond 

 parent, pouring out his soul and describing what he sees 

 as if no white man had ever penetrated the country 

 before. With surroundings and generalities as regards 

 Meath you may or may not be familiar. I will not deal 

 with these, but confine myself to setting down experi- 

 ences and sensations such as might befall any new comer 

 embarking (not altogether haphazard, but under reliable 

 pilotage) on the mare iguotiiw, the green ocean of Meath. 

 Not without a tremor, I confess, did I push off — nor am 

 I ashamed to add that during the previous week I snatched 

 gladly and gratefully at passing opportunity of a word 

 of counsel from two old comrades of the chase. " Pull 

 up at every fence. Take them at a walk if you can," 

 urged Captain Trotter. " Slow up at them all," said 

 Captain Smith, " and leave it to your horse." " Yes, 

 but isn't he apt to scotch at these great graves they tell 

 me of?" "Not he. He can see a great deal more than 

 you can. Don't you know of the Irish dealer who de- 

 clined a one-e^^ed horse of great character, with the 

 remark that in his opinion a horse to cross Meath properly 

 should have at least two eyes in his head, and, if possible, 

 one in his tail ? " The illustration was new to me, if it 



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