8 COVERT-SIDE SKETCHES. 



purpose. If men cannot ride without music there is still the 

 drag for them. * 



Those who are too given to press hounds merely from a real love 

 of them are sure to come back in time, and,when age and experience 

 have somewhat cooled their ardour, and tempered their eagerness, 

 often make our most brilliant sportsmen and horsemen. They, 

 however, are different kind of men altogether from the other. 

 One is, if I may so term it, a sportsman in embryo, the other, a 

 horseman (often a very fine one), and nothing more ; and, more- 

 over, a man of such selfishness and vanity, that he cares not 

 whose pleasure he interferes with so long as he can shine, too 

 often only for a few brief minutes ; for if scent is good, and 

 hounds go on, he is often missing at the end of a run, though 

 he may shine in a burst. 



To return to the popularity of hunting, it is probable 

 that very few of my readers have ever been present at 

 what is termed an earth-stopper's dinner; that is, the en- 

 tertainment given to the keepers, woodmen, and others, after 

 accounts for stopping have been settled, and " finds " paid for. 

 If they once attended one of these reunions, they would see 

 that where the thing is well carried out, and the master of the 

 hounds is on good terms with these people, as he must be to 

 ensure sport in countries where heavy rents are not paid for 

 the coverts, the popularity of hunting extends to much lower 

 strata of society than is usually to be seen at the covert side. I 

 may relate an anecdote which came within my own knowledge, 

 which tends also to show the good that may be effected through 

 meetings of this sort. The secretary of a certain hunt was 

 employed paying the keepers for finds in their coverts, when a 

 man (a small farmer as it proved) forced himself into the room, 

 and in a surly manner presented a long bill for poultry, and 

 said he should not go until it was paid. The secretary told 

 him he was much engaged just at the moment, but if he would 

 allow him he would put the bill into his pocket, and send him 

 a check for the money ; adding, " We shall have a dinner here 



