Lord Fit zhar dingers practical Jokes. 201 



be, it is hard to say ; for though he was noto- 

 riously fond of practical jokes, this seemed 

 carrying that sort of thing rather too far. But 

 the yery next day he played off another joke. 

 He and his yisitor, on their "way to the stables, 

 passed a hutch in "which a large bear was 

 lying, confined by a chain ; and he called Mr. 

 Smith's attention to it, getting him to come 

 quite close. Then he quietly loosened a large 

 heavy block, which lay on higher ground, and 

 it rolled down on the bear, which, being 

 struck on the paws, growled furiously, and 

 darted out to the extreme length of its chain, 

 to the amazement, if not terror, of one of the 

 party. Yet, in spite of these drawbacks, the 

 visit to Eerkeley Castle was a most agreeable 

 one, and Mr. Smith was frequently afterwards 

 invited. 



As may be guessed from the expression 

 of Mr. Smith, that '^he had reduced fall- 

 ing to a science," it was at the cost of many 

 a broken bone that he gained that knowledge ; 



