2 26 Tally ho. 



inmate of tlie union workliouse^ I determined to pay 

 her a visit. On my arrival I was politely received by 

 tlie master^ and making known my desire,, was handed 

 over to the matron^ who introduced me forthwith to 

 the venerable dame^ who has numbered no less than 

 87 years. Occupying a bed in a clean and comfort- 

 able wardj which would have borne comparison with 

 those of any other well regulated and similar establish- 

 ment that I have ever seen, I found the poor old soul 

 who, though acknowledging that she was well treated 

 and comfortable, yet truly said that such a place 

 ought not to be the home of her latter days. I allude 

 to the fact in case there may be any who, still bearing 

 in mind the once well-known hard rider who was 

 wont to stake his life on the hazard of a leap when 

 charging a bullfinch or a brook, instructing a four-year- 

 old how to negotiate a stiff flight of rails, or go a 

 rasper at a five-barred gate or a hog-backed stile, 

 might feel disposed to contribute a trifle to provide 

 some additional comforts now that she is deserted by 

 kith and kin and left to end her lonely days in the 

 parish workhouse. In the event of any one desiring 

 to do so, Mrs. Childs, of the George, will, with her 

 usual kindness, take charge of any remittance and see 

 it properly applied. 



Then, being courteously invited to visit the studio 

 of Mr. Fernely, the son of the well-known animal 

 painter, who depicted so cleverly the performances of 

 Count Sandore, an Hungarian nobleman who resided 

 for a season at Melton some fifty years ago, I singled 

 out an unfinished picture of a group of sportsmen by 

 the elder Fernely, in which there is the portrait of 

 a grey horse, more beautifully executed than any I 



