A HOLIDAY WITH THE WARD 85 



a spring as of a bent bow, lands you lightly on the farther 

 brink, while you — the Saxon horseman — faintly gasp forth 

 the breath of astonishment, thankfulness, and relief. 



One refiection I can offer you — not as a panacea, but 

 as a possible mitigator of your natural terrors. It was put 

 very aptly to me the other day, to mark the difference 

 between falling in the Shires of England and falling in 

 Ireland — and, remember, in neither sphere can you ex- 

 pect, nor is it even desirable, that you should continue to 

 go without a fall now and again. In the one case you are 

 flung from a height, and when going probably a good pace. 

 In the other you fall when y oil are already down. I think the 

 definition commends itself without explanation. My notes 

 are growing lengthy. Let me add only of Monday that 

 (all errors of geography on my part to be excepted) they 

 ran past Garriston, and, after a sharp final spurt, took 

 their deed near Naul, a pleasant forty minutes of fine 

 country and instructive experience. 



A Gallop in a Snowstorm 



The funniest experience of a sport-seeking life was the 

 run enjoyed hugely with the Ward on Wednesday last, in 

 a blizzard snowstorm. The humour of it I put aside as 

 impossible to convey. But I can give you the simple 

 facts, as far as I retain them in a storm-battered head- 

 piece. 



Driving snow-showers had come on with the early 

 morn, and at the time there seemed only a happy prospect 

 of warmth within doors, of a heavy luncheon, and a day 

 lost ; but at 12.30 we were in the special, at one o'clock 

 we were at Drumree, and at 1.30 we made part of a multi- 

 clad field of fifty that shivered at Dunshaughlin — without 

 map and without memory I must risk these names, and 

 plead for indulgence. Lord Zetland was there, and so 

 were Lord Molyneux and Lord Melgund (the last-named 

 at the font of his first baptism of sport in Ireland). Need- 

 less to add, he went through the ordeal in store with ad- 

 mirable success, and I am sure he will understand my 

 proud feeling of satisfaction on seeing him at the meet. 



