144 Sportsmen Parsons in Peace and War 



home before most of the field had ah'eady sought theirs, while she 

 was often accompanied not only by her son, but by her grandson. 



At an early cub-hunting meet of these hounds in the autumn 

 before the war Mr. Aldridge found himself one of the youngest 

 members of the scanty field. The air was full of the delicious 

 smell of autumn and there was new life in the breeze that came 

 across the downs, but he looked in vain for the younger genera- 

 tion. There were three old Generals out, all old gunners, two 

 of them being over eighty and Crimean veterans, while the 

 third had distinguished himself at Ladysmith. The young 

 bloods were presumably still in bed, but I will quote Mr. 

 Aldridge. " Where are the rising generation ? " I thought. 

 '' Probably just rising or still in bed ; their sport to be taken 

 behind a motor steering-wheel, or languidly sitting on a stick 

 until the whirr of partridges or pheasants over their heads 

 rouses them to energy." 



So much for the rising generation of 1914. Most of them 

 have found another and more lasting rest by now in the mud of 

 France and Belgium since that early morning meet, and — who 

 knows ? — the three dear old Generals are still at the covert- 

 side all by themselves. 



Mr. Aldridge thinks that the pleasant chaff that is exchanged 

 at the covert-side does everyone good. One day a friend said 

 to another in his hearing, " Aldridge tells me that you have 

 asked him to shoot on Monday ; I hope you have insured your 

 life ? " " No," rephed the other, " but I have bought an extra 

 thick pair of gaiters for the occasion." " That may not save 

 you," chimed in Mr. Aldridge. " A man I know did that once 

 when shooting with a German at Naiho. The German promptly 

 peppered his legs through the hedge, and then exclaimed in a 

 disappointed voice, ' Ach ! Mein Gott ! I thought you was one 

 red fox.' " 



On another occasion, outside Hey wood in the Vine country, 

 a youth said to Mr. Aldridge, " I say. Parson ; to pass the 

 time, suppose you give us a sermon." To this callow jest he 

 returned the reply, " Certainly, but as it is an uncommon 

 request, suppose we do the uncommon thing and take the 

 collection first ? " Suiting the action to the word, he presented 

 his hat to the facetious youth, who dwindled visibly, the 

 dwindling process being further accelerated by the gruff com- 



