22 SPORTS AND ANECDOTES. 



But all this is nearly eclipsed by the white, choker 

 that encompasses his neck, which is as white as 

 driven snow, about four inches deep, starched to the 

 consistency of pasteboard, and folded across in front 

 with a simple small round jet pin, like a bead on a 

 gold stem, all plain and without any device or orna- 

 ment whatever. This is surmounted by a pair of 

 well - starched, milky - white, fine stan'-up collars. 

 The choker seems as if it would choke him, and 

 the stan'-up collars seem to bid fair to cut his 

 ears off. He looks all over what he is, as keen 

 and sharp as a razor. This is no less a dignitary 

 than one of the famous hunting parsons in the shires ; 

 a capital fellow he is, too, and popular with all ; but 

 he is a thrusting kind of chap, and almost too much 

 so when he gets a bit excited, which he is on the 

 present occasion. For, spick and span as he 

 turns out, he has ridden six or seven miles to the 

 meet, or rather the covert that he felt sure they 

 would draw. He has performed a marriage and a 

 christening before he left home, and he has a funeral 

 at three o'clock, which he will probably have to 

 hurry home a good deal for, and which he will pos- 

 sibly attend in his surplice and top-boots, having 

 forgotten in his haste to take his spurs off. This I 



