302 THE BEST OF THE FUN 



It had often enough been told me of the habit of 

 countrymen to take a horse out of cart or plough and to 

 join in the chase. But I never thought to see a pair of 

 yokels thus mount a white horse apiece and, with blinkered 

 bridles and no saddle whatever, ride hotly to hounds, each 

 pair one field from the other and taking their own line, 

 each an exact counterpart of the other. As I happened to 

 be riding midway between them, the effect of this queer 

 apparition on either fiank was positively startling. I began 

 almost to think that Paddy-the-footman's insistence on 

 filling my flask according to the custom of the country 

 might possibly have something to do with this double 

 phenomenon. That there was little or nothing eccentric 

 in the trappings of this strange pair you may take the 

 following as proof. A gossoon had ridden out upon a 

 saddle moored in its place by a single girth and a stern 

 anchor, i.e. a crupper. The former fastening was soon 

 reft and dangling. " Your girth's broke ! " shouted a 

 tender-hearted sportsman, as the boy larruped his pony 

 at a big bank in front. The youngster pulled up for a 

 moment, looked down at the riven girth, then, whacking 

 the pony afresh, went on his way with the reply : " Ah 

 now, no matter. Isn't the crupper there to hould me ? " 



We are led to believe that Ireland's future financial 

 prosperity will in a great measure depend upon her con- 

 sumption of whisky. If this be the case, it is only fair to 

 county Tipperary to assert that she at least is prepared to 

 contribute full share towards the national revenue. That 

 whisky is the wine of the country is absolutely recognised. 

 It is at once the token of good companionship and the 

 medium of hospitality. It is employed to cement a friend- 

 ship and to develop acquaintance — to seal a compact or 

 to stamp a welcome. As such you must accept it, harden 

 your head or endanger offence. (Ask successive Masters 

 of the Harriers their experience.) Even the servants of 

 a Tipperary establishment insist on carrying out this 

 hospitable principle. " Ah, sure now, that's nothing at 

 all " — as you brew your whisky and soda to a Saxon 

 measure. And as for allowing your saddle-flask to be 

 filled at anything lower than lo per cent, under proof, no 



