292 MR. SPONGE'S SPORTING TOUR. 



when a fox-hunter may break his neck. My word ! but Mrs. 

 Slooman tells me pretty stories of Sloo's doings with the harriers — 

 jumping over hurdles, and everything that comes in the way, and 

 galloping along the stony lanes as if the wind was a snail compared 

 to his horse. I tell you, Jog, you should call on this gentle- 

 man " 



" Well," replied Mr. Jogglebury. 



" And ask him to come and stay here," continued Mrs. Joggle- 

 bury. 



" Perhaps he mightn't like it (puff)," replied Jogglebury. " I 

 don't know that we could (puff) entertain him as he's (wheeze) 

 accustomed to be," added he. 



" Oh, nonsense," replied Mrs. Jogglebury ; " we can entertain him 

 well enough. You always say fox-hunters are not ceremonious. I 

 tell you what, Jog, you don't think half enough of yourself. You 

 are far two easily set aside. My word ! but I know some people 

 who would give themselves pretty airs if their husband was chair- 

 man of a board of guardians, and trustee of I don't know how 

 many of Her Majesty's turnpike-roads," Mrs. Jog here thinking of 

 her sister Mrs. Springwheat, who, she used to say, had married a 

 mere farmer. " I tell you, Jog, you're far too humble, you don't 

 think half enough of yourself." 



" Well, but, my (puff) dear, you don't (puff) consider that all 

 people ain't (puff; fond of (wheeze) children," observed Jogglebury, 

 after a pause. " Indeed, I've (puff) observed that some (wheeze) 

 don't like them." 



" Oh, but those will be nasty little brats, like Mrs. James 

 Waken shaw's, or Mrs. Tom Cheek's. But such children as ours ! 

 such charmers ! such delights ! there isn't a man in the county, 

 from the Lord-Lieutenant downwards, who wouldn't be proud — 

 who wouldn't think it a compliment — to be asked to be god-papa 

 to such children. I tell you what, Mr. Jogglebury Crowdey, it 

 would be far better to get them rich god-papas and god-mammas 

 than to leave them a whole house full of sticks." 



"Well, but, my (puff) dear, the (wheeze) sticks will prove very 

 (wheeze) hereafter," replied Jogglebury, bridling up at the impu- 

 tation on his hobby. 



" I hope so," replied Mrs. Jogglebury, in a tone of incredulity. 



" Well, but, my (puff) dear, I (wheeze) you that they will be — 

 indeed (puff), I may (wheeze) say that they (puff) are. It was 

 only the other (puff) day that (wheeze) Patrick O'Fogo offered me 

 five-and-twenty (wheeze) shillings for my (puff) blackthorn Daniel 

 O'Connell, which is by no means so (puff) good as the (wheeze) 

 wild-cherry one, or, indeed, (puff) as the yew-tree one that I 

 (wheeze) out of Spankerley Park." 



" I'd have taken it if I'd been you," observed Mrs. Jogglebury. 



