130 THE NORTH STAFFORDSHIRE HOUNDS. 



CHAPTER X. 



MARRIAGE OF M.F.H. WEDDING PRESENT — GOOD OPENING 



DAY — FATAL ACCIDENT TO CAPTAIN TYLDEN — CRESS- 

 WELL HALL MEET — SPORT IN FEBRUARY, 1886 — 

 "WARE wire" HUNT COMMITTEE — OPENING DAY, 



1886-87. 



The season of 1884-85 was a good season for sport ; 

 but it was also a time of special interest to the members of 

 the Hunt, for on October 20th, 1884, their popular Master 

 was married to Lady Millicent Fanny St. Clare Erskine, 

 daughter of the fourth Earl of Rosslyn, and, as all the 

 North Staffordshire world knows, not only has the union 

 been a pre-eminently happy one to the persons most 

 concerned, but it has added a new brightness and charm 

 to the chase in the North Staffordshire country. It was 

 not long; before we all found that there was no dansrer of 

 the new influence making the Master less keen about 

 sport. On the contrary, the young Marchioness soon 

 showed us the way over the country, and established her 

 fame as a skilful and fearless rider to hounds. It was not 

 likely that the members of the Hunt would allow the happy 

 occasion of the marriage to pass without some token of 

 their interest in the event, and of their warm regard for 

 the Marquis, who had shown them such excellent sport, 

 and managed the Hunt so well for the last ten years. A 

 committee was appointed to collect subscriptions, which 

 came in most willingly, from the members of the Hunt, 

 and ultimately it was decided to present a silver fox, which 

 was modelled by the late Sir Edgar Boehm, R.A., and 



