A LATE RELEASE 75 



overnight function I say nothing, except that, however 

 smart and complete of itself, it was by no means on the 

 scale of a Pytchley Wednesday ; that the world of male- 

 kind would seem to have undergone a process akin to 

 transposition, the old men having become very young, and 

 the young men very old. Why, a " man " is quite aged 

 nowadays at twenty. He is often blase and worn at 

 twenty-five ! Is he not ! 



As to the Ball I would merely add, as they tell me, 

 Beauty was closely concentred, both as to matron and 

 maid. There was an eclipse in each class. My feminine 

 readers — if I am honoured by any — may possibly fail to 

 follow the threadbare simile. But if any of them as- 

 sisted at the event in question, I warrant you they will 

 " name the winner in one " in either competition ; and 

 perhaps add, " Of course I know^ whom he means ; but 

 I can't say I admired her one bit, while as to a girl 

 at her first ball, of course she looks fresh, happy, and 

 bright, which is what men pretend to like ! " 



Now I find myself humming drowsily to my hearth- 

 rug companions — well, never mind what. Snap responds 

 by wagging his stern like a hound first feathering in 

 covert. Puss by jumping on to my manuscript and 

 rendering it more undecipherable than ever. Time for 

 bed, pussy. Glad I had strength of mind enough to 

 cry off a pleasant man-party ; for I am a dull and 

 heavy-eyed dog to-night. The snowdrifts from below, 

 the rainpour from above, have an exhausting effect alike 

 upon vision and faculty. A happy weariness, though, is 

 that begotten of a busy day's hunting. 



Some new vicissitude of the chase I discover almost 

 every day I go out. Were I to set them out in detail, 

 and dispense them in a volume, I feel sure that few men 

 having home responsibilities would be allowed to go forth, 

 to ride and to hunt. Yet these casualties, risks, and 

 hairbreadth escapes are, as I have often pointed out, by 

 no means necessarily the outcome of conscientious hard 

 riding. Take this instance of yesterday, the morning of 

 which, you remember, was both very wet and very warm. 

 He was equipped with apron and with covert coat. 



