51. THE BEST SEASON ON RECORD. 



of the monster meet at Baggrave, March, 1871) it has 

 been my happy lot to witness and recount several. The 

 gorse itself was nipped by frost when the icy hand of 

 death was already placing its grasp round the heart of 

 him who had planted it. The rest of the little covert 

 remains in the shape of the original spinney — and we re- 

 visited it to-day with something of a chill at our hearts. 



But many of you to whose lot it has fallen to attend a 

 soldier's funeral know well the military custom by which, 

 as soon as the volleys are fired, and a handful or two of 

 earth have rattled on the coffin lid of a comrade, the 

 mourners fall in, the ranks reform, the band — that but a 

 few minutes before was wailing forth the most touching 

 of all sad melodies, the Dead March in " Saul " — at once 

 strikes merrily up to a lively march — heads are raised — 

 and we all step gaily out, laying aside the recent sorrow, 

 and ready again to make the most of all that is bright 

 in life. 



So though there was many a sad thought and many a 

 mournful mention of the dead as the scene of the Quorn 

 Hunt Picture was reproduced on Friday, men's hearts 

 rose eagerly and joyously as ever, directly the scream 

 of the whipper-in caught their ears and they were called 

 upon to ride once more on the track of a fox from the 

 Baggrave covert. A right good fox too ; and one that 

 suffered nothing by comparison with his predecessors. 

 On tlie contrary, he Initiated the occupancy of the new 

 resident with singular felicity — bidding us learn that a 

 successor is aptly and worthily carrying out the dearest 

 wishes of him whom we have lost. (The covert, by the 



