34 SPORTING REMINISCENCES [1745 to 



work better, than those hounds were. There 

 was not even a grass ground, nor any yard at 

 all so large as his own dining-room, and the 

 sub-soil was strong clay." 



Mr. Chute was one of the last of the pig- 

 tails, and always wore it tied in proper form 

 with black ribbon ; his coat and waistcoat 

 were open, and his shirt fronts got up with 

 broad plaits. A year or two only before his 

 death the pigtail was sacrificed. General 

 Pole, who was a great friend, was present 

 when the dreadful deed was done in Fox the 

 hairdresser's shop. Great had been the solici- 

 tation on the one side, and reluctance on the 

 other ; at last an unwilling consent was given, 

 gained chiefly by the potent argument, " Why, 

 sir, it cannot last much longer, there are but 

 five hairs left, all the rest is ribbon !" said 

 the coiffeur, holding up the elaborate ap- 

 pendage. The fatal snip was given, and thus 

 ended one of the last, if not the very last, of 

 the pigtails. 



Mr. Chute died December 13, 1824, aged 

 sixty-seven years. He represented the county 

 in parliament for nearly thirty years. He was 

 a fine specimen of the real old English squire, 

 quite one of the old school. His brother, Mr. 

 Thomas Vere Chute of South Pickenham, 

 Norfolk, was also a very good sportsman. 



