CHAPTEK XVIII. 



HARDER AND HARDER. 



(^^^|5g)N East wind, I fancy, loses little of its acerbity 

 (^/lr%^\ before penetrating to the Midlands, finds a 



^k^^Si^ weak place in as man}' Imnian frames here, 

 as on more dusty soils, shrivels our faculties and con- 

 tracts our capacity for enjoyment quite as readily as in 

 other hunting fields. Often, however, it brings with it 

 a counteracting influence in the warming exhilarating 

 presence of a tearing scent that allows hounds to run 

 breast high over parched meadows or even crusted 

 fallows. Then we forget the covert side misery, the in- 

 sanity which bade us jump into spring clothing before 

 the dog days, and the flight of fashion which induced 

 lis to 2;ive credence to the new theorv that cords are 

 preferable to buckskin. But an east wind brought no 

 recompense M-ith it towards the close of last week. On 

 Friday (February 15tli) with the Quorn we were kept 

 moving all day ; so actually suffered little at its hands, 

 though we received but scanty benefits. After a cold 

 but pretty meet at Gaddesby Hall, we found a heavy 

 sign of early spring at Cream Gorse ; and, leaving her 

 with a blessing on the goddess Lucina, who would seem 



