A TWO DAYS BREAK. 87 



rupted sport. The stoppage came too soon ; we liad not 

 bargained for it, we wanted none of it — nor did our 

 horses. Thus we grumbled at home, or took our 

 growlings abroad ; at once made up our little minds for 

 the worst ; accepted a hard winter as a foregone con- 

 clusion — and there was a long list of absentees, sliooting, 

 playgoing, and in various fashion picking oakum for 

 Satan, when, after three days, the wind chopped round 

 to the south, proclaiming a hunting morning to 

 inaugurate the new week. 



The Quorn accordingly reopened the ball witli another 

 long run on Monday, Dec. 10 — covering a great deal of 

 ground in two hours. The pace never approached that 

 of some of their recent more brilliant performances ; but 

 tliey ran over a very goodly country, and showed muck 

 beautiful hunting to a field of such a size as could best 

 enjoy it. A\'e cannot expect to be gallojjing full speed 

 every da}'- — nor, if such were possible, would it suit 

 either the luck or capacity of each and all of us. Every 

 dog has his day — and some dogs are satisfied with less of 

 a day than others. We are jolly dogs if we have turned 

 the spit of fortune so as to catch the ftdl blaze of success 

 in a hard-ridden chase. AVe are doleful doc's if we have 



O 



been left in the shade ; our tails go down ; we whine and 

 lament : we even insult the understanding: of our fellow- 

 men (excellent judges and unsparing, even if silent, 

 critics) by explaining with much emphasis the unheard-of 

 combination of circumstances that led to our missing the 

 run — and perhaps we miss another the very next day. 

 But the catastrophe should not beftill us in what we 



