Vol. III.— No. 59.] 
Saturday, February 11 , 1854. 
[Price 6 d . 
the old earth-stopper, or the find 
AND THE FINISH. 
DY JOHN MILLS, AUTHOR OF “THE OLD ENGLISH GENTLEMAN.” 
CHAPTER TV. 
TOM PITTS EXEMPLIFIES HIS OPINION UPON MUFFS. 
“fpHE snow is a-waiting for more,” remarked Sam 
I Waller, as the same, the very same, set of “jolly com- 
panions everyone” were around the wood fire at the Jolly 
Gardener’s, when the stars blinked, twinkled, and glittered 
over head, brighter than fairy lamps of dew, lit by a sum- 
mer’s morning. “The snow is a-waiting for more,” re- 
peated he of the sledge-hammer and anvil. 
“ I don’t know that,” sharply replied John Brown, in 
monosyllables, who, according to popular belief, considered 
it an infringement upon his local prerogative for anyone, in 
his presence, to take the initiative in expressing an opinion 
upon either the present or anticipated state of the atmo- 
sphere, regarding heat or cold, clearness or cloudiness, wet- 
ness or dryness, calm or storm. “It may or may not be 
waiting for more,” continued the dairyman, in a way which 
seemed both to court and defy a denial of the proposi- 
tion. 
“ Well,” rejoined the proprietor of the smithy, deprecat- 
ingly, “ my mother used to say ” 
“ Your mother lived to be a very old woman, Sam,” re- 
turned John Brown, “ and it wouldn’t particularly surprise 
me to learn that she was past knowing what she was talking 
about, when she said what you were going to say.” 
To speak figuratively, Sam Waller was shut up as close 
as a small silk umbrella, squeezed into the tightest of oil- 
skin cases. He had not a single syllable to offer by way of 
replication, but, with a long-drawn sigh, expressive of the 
unmerited injury he had received, folded his arms slowly 
upon his enormous chest, dropped his chin, and appeared to 
have come to the deliberate resolution of being a silent 
listener, at least, for the remainder of that evening. 
Now, it is a matter of history that Tom Pitts, who was 
the oracle of the Jolly Gardener, entertained a particular 
pleasure in not only hearing himself speak, but also in 
possessing a complete monopoly of the debate, by no one 
presuming to interrupt the chain either of his eloquence or 
thoughts, by offering a single observation. As the black- 
smith, therefore, was somewhat given to dispute this vested 
right of the ex-whipper-in, It was with no little satisfaction 
that he saw — to use his own mental remark — that Sam 
Waller’s babbling was over for some time to come ; and 
finding himself in possession of as fair a field as he could 
possibly desire, Tom settled himself in his seat, and opened 
a subject with which he was singularly conversant. 
“ In these riding days,” commenced he, “ it’s not a little 
strange that we never hear of a sensible opinion upon sports- 
manlike, straight going. If a man’s pluck qualifies him for 
the foremost flight, the chances are ten to one he will jam 
hard to hounds, ride over ’em, through ’em, or any way, so 
long as he’s not stopped until all the mischief he could do 
has been done. He has no thought of giving room to anyone 
or anything ; but to be first being the object for which he 
came out, he pricks to the front, takes the lead, and keeps 
it as long as his horse’s wind lasts, a mistake brings ’em to 
grass, or a check is given through his own want o’ patience 
in driving hounds over the scent. ‘ Hold hard, gentlemen, 
pray hold hard,' is always being holla’d ; but as to any use 
it does, I never saw any yet. Now, to see a gentleman ride 
well, straight, and with judgment, is, to my mind, about 
as pretty a performance as eyes can wish to behold. Let 
him, as I say, place himself in such a position, when hounds 
are drawing, so that they may not slip away from any point 
without his knowing it. Some choose a particular snug 
spot where, should the fox break just as they thought, they 
cannot fail to have if all to themselves from the find lo the 
finish ; but provided he doesn’t accommodate ’em so far, 
it’s just t’ other way. Having afforded a few o’ those pr 0 - 
cious seconds which enable the body o’ hound* to get at 
their fox and settle to him, a keen, strong eye should he 
thrown for’urd, as he sets his horse going, to look out for the 
exact place where he intends to leave tho first fence behind, 
and as soon as he’s safely lunded over tho first, let him mako 
up his mind quickly about the second, and so on. It doesn’t 
look the thing for a man to take another’s line and follow 
only just where he’s led, although, in a strange country, no 
one, who has a little value for his neck, can be expected to 
ride with as much confidence as across one lie’s thoroughly 
acquainted with. At the same time, it should bo borne in 
mind, that a fox having a point to make, and knowing every 
inch of where he’s goiug, takes the gaps and weakest parts 
of the fences in his line for his own sake ; and as hounds only 
follow where he leads, it stands to reason, that to ride straight 
to 'em, after all, is the easiest work both for man and horso. 
In course," continued tho old earthstopper with a smila 
strongly blended with a sneer, “ there’s one more easier plan, 
and that’s road-riding. A man in pink pounding along the 
roads, heading the fox, aud looking proud of whut he’s dono 
and doing, is a pretty picture for a master o’ hounds to look 
at ; and, considering how often one or more o’ this kind may 
be seen, it’s a wonder to me that swearing doesn't come into 
fashion again. If I was a M. F. H.,” said Tom Pitts with 
marked emphasis upon the pronouns, “ I know I should 
damn a little.” 
1 “ I daresay now,” observed John Brown, “ you’ve seen a 
good run spoiled afore now by ” 
“ Listen,” interrupted the ex-whipper-ln, raising a fore- 
finger. “ It was In the beginning of his fourth season,” 
and the end of Tom’s finger dropped in tho direction of 
