86 How I Became a Sportsmax. 



He was one of a sort fast dying out, who 

 very rarely left home, except to visit his other 

 estates in another part of the country (where I 

 shot with him for many years afterwards) ; but 

 lived chiefly on his own flne property, paying 

 attention to the cultivation of his coverts and 

 timber, and such-like amusements incidental to 

 the life of a country gentleman. 



Our characteristic anecdote of his is well 

 deserving of mention. He was often amongst 

 his men when they were at work, throwing or 

 cutting timber, quarrying, etc., or if any build- 

 ing was going on he was sure to be with them, 

 and as he was not an idle man, he as often as 

 not took a hatchet or hammer and helped in 

 the work. Now, the squire was devoted to 

 the gun and the fishing-rod, but was no 

 fox-hunter, indeed, he rarely ever got across 

 a horse ; but he preserved foxes most strictly, 

 and his coverts were generally a sure find. 

 On one occasion, the hounds having found 

 a fox in the home covert, the squire was 

 standing on the park wall watcliing them 

 going away when some would-be swell, in a 

 bit of pink, no doubt a stranger to the country, 

 seeing him wdth a woodman's axe on his 



