The Hunting Year 



at once we have a return of brilliant summer 

 weather. Mornings and nights may be a little 

 misty and chilly, but the sun soon gets through 

 the mist and shines gloriously during the middle 

 of the day, and though there may be " falling 

 leaf and fading flower," the leaf falls and the 

 flower fades bravely enough in the sunny hours 

 of an Indian summer. And then to the dweller 

 in the country, whose interests are closely 

 identified with those of his farming neighbours, 

 or who, perchance, has some farming in hand 

 himself, an Indian summer brings breathing- 

 time in a busy year. Harvest is over — it is too 

 early to lift turnips or for the autumn seeding, 

 and there is plenty of time to " put things tidy" 

 — an operation which is so dear to the orderly 

 mind. 



But the huntsman looks with anything but 

 favour on an Indian summer. For, though there 

 are exceptions, it is pretty certain that when the 

 weather is not what is called seasonable, scent 

 is generally very poor. The falling of the leaf 

 makes it bad in the woods, and with no 

 rain to assist in decaying the fallen leaves, they 



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