THE INFLUENZA SCOURGE 69 



times larger number of working people (who have seldom 

 time or means to go beyond their parish boundary for 

 amusement) than of richer folk who ride a-horseback that 

 day. Old men to little children all accept the pageant 

 with gusto, and view its operations with keen delight, 

 being never so happy as when they can share it by 

 screaming at a fox, however distant. 



That even old women will take active and enthusiastic 

 part I had personal opportunity of assuring myself to- 

 day. A good dame had not only seen the fox, but she 

 could not understand how its exact course could be a 

 matter of indifference to any one of us apart from the 

 huntsman, who was already taking advantage of her 

 information. To elucidate her point, and to insist upon 

 our understanding her shrill-toned directions, she perched 

 herself on a new post-and-rails that supplemented the 

 only place of egress. Deaf to my entreaties, and, of 

 course, determined not to be silenced, she held forth 

 from her point of vantage till my time, patience, and 

 gallantry were alike exhausted. So judging there was 

 just room, I determined on at least sharing the doorway 

 with her. No sooner did she realise the coming of the 

 inevitable than, with a loud shriek, she flung herself prone 

 to her right front ; the young mare, rising at the timber, 

 swerved off to the left with a startled violence that nearly 

 pitched me on to the turf between them ; and I am still 

 in doubt as to which of us three sustained the heaviest 

 ^hock to the nervous system. 



They have invented a new form of impediment to our 

 progress across Northamptonshire. It is hardly likely to 

 meet with wide adoption, but we encountered it on 

 Monday, thus. The occupier's cattle had bored a hole 

 through a dense bullfinch, after a fashion peculiar to 

 shorthorn bullocks, who can virtually take their great 

 carcases wherever their heads can go. The good man, 

 willing to humour his oxen, but not wishing the outlet 

 to be converted into a common highway, at once drew 

 together the thorns overhead, entwining them neatly and 

 scientifically. Following hounds there came one for 

 whom I entertain sincerest regard. He looked for a spot 



