The Hunting Year 



early in the season for he would like 'em to last 

 out. Then he resumes his seat amidst a lot 

 of knocking on the table, which the waiters 

 promptly take advantage of to refill the glasses. 



Toasts come thick and fast now. " Success to 

 Agriculture " ; " Success to the Hunt " ; " The 

 Master's Health " ; the " Hunt Servants " follow 

 in rapid succession, and the company by this 

 time having got well into their stride, personal 

 toasts are proposed, the proposer always begin- 

 ning his few remarks with, " There's a toast I 

 should like to propose, sir, with your per- 

 mission." 



And though there may be no very eloquent 

 speeches made, there is a lot of sound sense 

 talked, and the public opinion of one portion of 

 the Hunt, and that no inconsiderable one, is 

 made pretty clear. 



And between the toasts there are always 

 songs, the last singer generally having the privi- 

 lege of the call. And the songs are, of course, 

 old favourites. " Lord Bateman " with its 

 thirty — or forty, is it? — verses, is sure to be in 

 evidence, and it should be added that most of 

 the songs are long ones, and have a story. I 

 regret I remember so few of them, but there is 



210 



