MY FIRST AND LAST STEEPLE-CHASE 151 



While he was speaking, a dozen bearded men 

 got down and stalked solemnly into the room. In 

 a few minutes the ladies of our party made their 

 appearance, and before long the new comers were 

 busily engaged in some fashion or another. I have 

 often admired the way in which Irish ladies con- 

 trive to make the " lords of the creation "' useful, 

 but never saw it more strongly exemplified than on 

 the present occasion. Here you might see a grave 

 colonel employed in the composition of a lobster 

 salad ; there a V.C. opening oysters as industri- 

 ously as an old woman at a stall ; while in a snug 

 corner, a couple of cornets were filling custard 

 cups and arranging flowers. To do the gallant 

 fellows justice they accepted the situation frankly, 

 and set to work like men, while at every fresli blast 

 the girls' spirits seemed to rise higher ; and before 

 long a merrier party could hardly be found any- 

 where. Twelve o'clock had now come round, at 

 which time, it was unanimously agreed, the day 

 must clear up ; and a slight gleam of watery sun- 

 shine appearing, we all started to carry the things 

 over to the supper-room of the tent. As we mus- 

 tered a tolerably strong party, in less than an hour 

 this was effected, not, however, without sundry 

 mishaps ; one poor cornet being blown right over a 

 fence, into a wet ditch, with his burden. 



