The Rev. J. Tyrwhitt Drake. 287 



was that tlie ride should be an early one, so that no 

 suspicion might enter the breast of his unwary master. 

 *^ If you^re waking call me early, call me early, Patrick, 

 dear," were the overnight instructions on one side; and 

 about four on many a fine spring and summer morning, 

 the pulling of a string attached to a sleeper's toe announced 

 the fact that the " hour and the man " — a horse — had 

 come. Then followed the rapture of the ride, probably 

 to Tilbury^s farm, possibly elsewhere; but the bit of 

 timber by the road-side or the fence with all its leaves 

 was not omitted from the programme, and all was happi- 

 ness unalloyed until a distant bell or a tell-tale watch, 

 pointed to the homeward road. I fancy if those who 

 have just been referred to chance to see these lines, will 

 they ask themselves, whether among their many happy 

 Harrovian days, they ever had such hours as those spent 

 upon the back of " Billy " Oxenham's mare ? 



The parents of the future Rector of Cottesbrooke did 

 not give Harrow the credit of being able to convert their 

 son into a depositary of classical lore, nor were they 

 disappointed. Though compelled to ^' enter " for the 

 quarterly examinations, ^^ J. T. Drake junior" never went 

 into training for any of these events, with the common 

 result of not being able to live the course. Usually one 

 of the first in difficulties, on rising- Euclid Hill he mostly 

 ceased to struggle, and rarely passed Judge Longley's 

 chair. Not finding that any of the Harrow '^ courses " 

 exactly suited his style of action, he changed his quarters 

 for Oxford, where he hoped that by a new system of 

 training he might win his way into the family Living of 

 Malpas, in Cheshire. Having successfully matriculated 

 at Brazen Xose, it seemed now as if the ex-Harrovian 



