130 Sportsmen Parsons in Peace and War 



basset hound that would not tackle a hare alone, but kept 

 dodging about and jumping up and down until the rest came 

 up, when he at once became most valiant. I believe if the hare 

 had come for him he would have run for his life. 



Another eventful day from Marlborough was in a run with 

 the Craven when Sir Richard Sutton was the Master, right 

 through the Tedworth country to ground in the Duke of Beau- 

 fort's. Only two or three were up at the finish, but young Butler 

 was amongst them, with three shoes off his nag, wet and cold, 

 having wallowed through two or three brooks, weary, capless, 

 and one spur gone. But it was a wet and triumphant day, one 

 of those thrilling experiences when you may be suffering from 

 many bloody wounds, big scratches from thorns and brambles, 

 yet absolutely unconscious of it at the time owing to the passion 

 of pursuit. 



It was thus with young Butler. Not until the fox was run 

 to ground and the day far spent did he realise that his mount 

 had lost three shoes, that both he and his horse were sopping 

 wet ; and very grateful he was to Sir Richard Sutton when he 

 kindly offered to lend his knitted gloves to this plucky boy to 

 warm his cold fingers. The Master had watched and appreciated 

 the lad's fine performance throughout the day. Years after- 

 wards Mr. Butler saw his missing spur hanging up over his late 

 master's study mantelpiece (then headmaster of a well-known 

 public school), a memento of a schoolboy's eventful day. 



So much for boyhood. The next matter of moment was 

 when he joined the West Kent Militia. At this time he hunted 

 with various packs, sometimes in Dorsetshire with Mr. Rad- 

 clyffe's hounds, but more often with the Cambridgeshire, 

 occasional odd days with the FitzWilliam hounds, and on foot 

 with the Trinity beagles. 



Whilst reading for Orders he used to hunt with the Goodwood 

 and also with harriers from Bognor. It used to be said of him 

 in those days that although seen on all parts of his horse he 

 always managed to get back into the saddle again ; but he says 

 this is not strictly true, as at times he did taste Mother Earth ; 

 and small wonder, for if hounds failed to supply them with the 

 means of working off some youthful steam and energy, a few 

 ardent spirits used to take on a bit of country and try to pound 

 one another. 



