126 THE BEST SEASON OX EECORD. 



country side — and especially tlie Waltliam road — was by 

 tins time freely dotted with beaten horses ; and a gallop 

 could scarcely have been raised among the little party 

 still with hounds. But, for the first time since the find, 

 the pack now came to slower hunting — and thus they 

 worked back to Melton Spinney. At every moment 

 was a kill expected, and ardently prayed for. But 

 failing light and ftiiling horses put an end to the hope : 

 and, as the hunt again reached the edge of Melton 

 Spinney, Mr. Coupland decided to give the word for 

 home, and to leave the covert undisturbed. 



The following will speak for itself as having been 

 penned previous to the above brilliant Monday. 



To conclude the first week of the New Year — Friday, 

 Jan. 4th, was perhaps the hottest day, Saturday certainly 

 the wettest, of a so far unbroken season. A New Year, 

 besides pointing its thousand morals, means that another 

 season is already half over — and we wake to the fact 

 almost ere thoroughly warmed to work. Late weeks — 

 though open, pleasant, and redolent of health and good 

 company — have been marked with but few strong 

 episodes to instance and notify the lapse of time. We 

 have gone a-hunting as regularly as we have come home 

 Avith a staunch appetite, and seldom without sport — 

 often indeed with a flush of it. The only anxiety for the 

 morrow has been the horse, a decently sound horse, and 

 a horse that would do us no discredit. A second-rate 

 brute is certain, in ten minutes at the most, to show up 

 himself, and you, in this drastic country and company. 

 He may not fall. He may gallop ; he may not refuse ; 



