444 THE BEST OF THE FUN 



perly re-entered the dining-room and proceeded to clear 

 his vision by wetting the other eye. 



(2) I had thought that our stricken landlords, such as 

 remain in Northamptonshire, were terribly hurt by the 

 recent gale, their parks disfigured, and their properties 

 dismantled of the growth of centuries. But I little knew 

 the commercial aspect of their latest misfortune, till one 

 of them told me this day. It appears that, owing to 

 influenza and its death-rate, and previous to the late 

 destructive hurricane, the coffin-makers were at their wits' 

 end for sufficient elm timber, and the price of this article 

 of commerce and utility had gone up fifty per cent. People 

 are fond of crediting Providence with all kinds of mean 

 motives, pointing to escape from events which only Provi- 

 dence can decree. Think you that any one will be so 

 impious as to suggest that Providence had aught to do 

 with providing for the deficiency above named ? At any 

 rate elm-boarding has suddenly gone down twenty-five per 

 cent, below its normal value ; and the poor landowners, their 

 estates disfigured and ungarnished, are now left practically 

 without a market for their fallen treasures. 



CHAPTER LXXI ;•' 



t 



WILL GOODALLS LAST GALLOP '\ 



The Pytchley brought their season to a happy climax on 

 Saturday, April 6, 1895. A seven-mile point (I cannot 

 make it more by the test of map and ruler) within the 

 hour, over the classic pastures of Market Harboro', 

 and with a clean kill at the end — are not these sufficient 

 details wherewith to prove the excellence of the event 

 of the day ? 



Saturday, you remember, came into being with a gale, 

 so that almost with one accord we doffed the tall hat of 

 deference and donned the low-class billycock, with which 

 to weather the breeze. To all appearance, and in many 

 respects undeniably, it was a dreadful morning. Your 

 neighbour's greeting was indistinguishable, save for the 



