286 THE CREAM OF LEICESTERSHIRE. [Season 



put a worse aspect on the venture, for tliey rolled in a row — 

 the wag of the paiiy executing his tumble Avith all the activity 

 and insousiance of "The Comic Skater" of the Aquarium. 

 There was a j^leasant easy place handy, where j'ou and I, 

 reader, could save ourselves from undue danger — nor yet lose 

 sight of hounds. And again, there was a ford and gate to 

 render the humble brook below Owston village still more 

 suitable to men of our time of life. By the village side, a 

 sheepdog for once did us a good turn, for he drove our fox away 

 from Owston "Wood, and bade him take his chance over the 

 lovely hills and dales that stretch away to Twj'ford. And over 

 this beautiful ground the chase sped happil}', at a fast hunting 

 pace. Everyone could be near hounds, and a large field 

 pursued its way delightedl}-. The new railway for a moment 

 checked them all — excepting Lord Manners and one follower, 

 who rattled the big rails in, and found an easy place out of, the 

 line. The rest then galloped a field round to pass under 

 the viaduct. By the village of Twyford the brook runs not 

 wide but bare — nothmg for a willing horse at a trot, but not 

 encouraging to the shifty, nor enticing to one that is sticky. 

 Twenty men left it beliind them at once, nor turned in their 

 saddles to learn that in it they had left something more, or 

 one and all must have hurried back to help. The dear butcher 

 was overhead in the brook ! The butcher of Melton — the 

 butcher who is always helping the fallen, the butcher who is 

 the ready slave of any lady in difficulty, the butcher who carves 

 wide holes for us in the thickest bullfinches, the butcher in 

 blue who, witli sixteen stone above the saddle and seven pounds 

 ten shillings under it, has ridden for three seasons with the 

 lightest and the richest ! The butcher is as hard and keen as 

 liis cleaver: the mare is a marvel. The butcher had made 

 up his mind to be forward ; the mare meant the same. But 

 the chasm of the brook came before her unawares : her courage 

 failed her ; in sudden fear she planted her feet, and bent her 

 neck in shame — and, alas, the butcher went on ! Don't laugh, 

 please, reader. I did not — or only as little as I could. But 



