200 HUNTING REMINISCENCES 



who made a great name for himself, and in his day 

 jumped the JNIelton brook oftener than any other 

 liorse in Leicestershire. Another good momit was 

 Horn Shy, so called because he was very excitable, 

 and took hold of his bit when he heard the horn. 

 Over the big doubles in the Leadenham Vale this 

 horse was not to be beaten, " and never set a foot 

 wrong." 



On April 14th the meet was at Piper Hole, and 

 it was a regular hound day, with twisting foxes 

 very sparing of scent. One of those who thoroughly 

 enjoyed it, regarding it from a professional point of 

 view, was Frank Beers, the Grafton huntsman, who 

 returned with the pack to kennels at 9 p.m. The 

 mention of this fine sportsman's name conjures up 

 ancient history, for Frank Beers followed his father 

 as huntsman, but one thing he lacked in comparison, 

 and that was voice. Old George could ring such a 

 merry tune as would charm the very foxes from 

 their earths. Frank was first initiated under his 

 father with the Oakley, went from there as second 

 whip to the Brocklesby, then to Russia as huntsman 

 to Count Branetski, who, in addition to a pack of 

 foxhounds, had a stud of seven hundred brood 

 mares, together with some well-known Enghsh 

 sires. Beers was driven out of the land of the 

 Tzar by the Crimean War, and found his way to 

 Grafton to turn hounds to his father. Talking of 

 the Brocklesby, there is Httle doubt that these 

 hounds have been kept as a pack in the Pelham 

 family for quite a hundred and seventy years. 

 INIoreover, the Smith family hunted them for 



