38 Sportsmen Parsons in Peace and War 



Mr. Russell, senior, like his son in late years, was a good 

 preacher and a keen sportsman. History relates that the old 

 gentleman's top-boots have been observed peeping out from 

 beneath his cassock in church. 



It is evident from whom Mr. Jack Russell inherited his love 

 for sport, which began to show itself very early in life. When 

 at school at Tiverton he kept four and a half coiiple of hounds 

 unknown to the authorities. An obliging blacksmith on the 

 outskirts of the village kennelled and fed them with flesh. The 

 local farmers and the blacksmith loj^ally held their tongues, and 

 encouraged young Russell and his partner, a boy named Borey, 

 in the enterprise. Many happy and healtliful half -holidays were 

 spent with these hounds. 



Unfortunately, after a time the headmaster, named Dr. 

 Richards, a very strict disciplinarian, got wind of the matter, 

 and the boy Borey was expelled. Why this fate should have 

 fallen on him and not young Russell I have never been given to 

 understand ; however, the latter did not escape quite free. 

 He was sent for to the master's study. There was no beating 

 about the bush ; Dr. Richards began at once. 



" You keep hounds, don't you ? " 



" No, sir, I do not." 



" You dare to stand there and tell lies to me ? Your partner 

 who shared them with you has confessed and been expelled." 



" I am not lying, sir. I have no hounds, for Borey stole 

 them yesterday and sent them home to his father." 



" Well, that is lucky for you, or I should have expelled you 

 also." 



This attitude of schoolmasters towards sport and healthy 

 amusement for the boys has often surprised me. I firmly 

 believe that if every big school, especially our public schools, 

 had a pack of hounds which the boys could hunt and follow, on 

 foot for choice, there would then be less of the bullying and vice 

 we hear so much about when youths are congregated together. 

 There would neither be the time nor the same inclination for 

 mischief. At the end of the day they would be healthily 

 tired. 



Perhaps it was as well the hounds departed, for after they 

 had gone Jack Russell turned his attention to work, ca]^,turing 

 two prizes open to competition, an exhibition of £30 a year, and 



