THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN, November 2, 1858. 
77 
wrong but yourself? When you had hit on your defence, did 
you ever see it crumble, bit by bit, till the first impression of your 
folly returned stronger than ever ? If you have not, I have, and 
experienced it all on this occasion. I awoke early, and got up 
after the mental process I have described above. No part of the 
house was ready for me to sit down, and, wishing to be alone, I 
went through a back door into the yard. I would clean my 
gun. I found my brother-in-law’s man about to do so, and told 
him I preferred doing it myself. lie smilingly gave it to me, 
while he cleaned his master’s. I felt that I had Clone enough to 
offend everyone the night before, and, therefore, was disposed to 
make what friends I could ; and, let me own it, I wanted tidings 
of my dog. Therefore, I opened a general conversation, and 
gradually brought it round to our sport the day before. 
“You have had charge of Tippoo,” said I, giving the man five 
shillings. 
“ Yes, Sir, and thank you ; he spoiled our sport yesterday; 
but, aftev all, I clont think so badly of him; and young master 
is hasty. lie wants patience, you see. Sir. ’Tis with dogs as 
with hunters, both are temperate enough till one hears the gun 
and the other the hounds,—then there’s no holding them. Pa¬ 
tience, Sir, will do a great deal with both; and I think you and 
I by ourselves could make a good dog of him.” 
“ So do I; and, by the way, I dare say you have had a great 
deal of trouble with him.” And with that I gave him five 
shillings more. 
“ You are very good, Sir. Do try to get you and I to go out 
by ourselves. Only don’t say I said so.” 
“ But do you know of any plan to cure him ?” 
“ Let me alone, Sir, I will do it. He won’t be the first I have 
cured.” 
This was a bright spot in my day. What a triumph it would 
be if I tamed this dog ! I was sure I could. 
I cleaned my gun, and returned to the house. I did not know 
how to meet the family. I was evidently in the wrong, and, 
therefore, wished them to make the first overture. I would have 
apologised freely, if I had been in the right; but it is so hard to 
admit you are wrong. 
When I entered the breakfast-room, my wife was there. She, 
dear good woman, had no frowns for me, and we chatted plea¬ 
santly on every subject but shooting and the previous evening, 
till the family were assembled. All met me kindly ; but there 
was the feeling that T had behaved ill over-night, and perhaps 
another, that I was not likely to make their relative very happy, 
and that caused a little coolness at the breakfast-table. But the 
coolest of all was my brother-in-law, whose good temper had, till 
then, been proof against everything. My wife tried very hard to 
make all things pleasant. 
Now, I had determined not to apologise in any way, but, as I 
was in the wrong, I magnanimously resolved to forgive them all, J 
and take no notice of the previous evening. I also wished to 
restore cordiality for every reason, but more particularly on ; 
account of my wife, who evidently felt the gene there was at the 
breakfast table. 
“You will be glad to hear,” said I, speaking to no one in par¬ 
ticular, “ that Tippoo came home last night.” 
Some of the faces smoothed a little, but there was no answer I 
bevond my wife’s, w'ho said, “ She was glad to hear it.” 
I would not be beaten, and, therefore, asked my brother-in-law 
where we should shoot that day. His answer was, “ I could go 
where I liked, but ho would be unable to go with me, as he had 
an engagement.” I am not usually a dissembler, but I confess I 
was very glad, although I said I was sorry. My reasons were 
First, I wished to cure my dog, and to try my own plan ; next, 
I thought I should shoot better by myself. 
As soon as breakfast was finished, I hurried to the yard, where 
I found my brother-in-law, evidently giving instructions to his 
man. I cared not for that, as I was delighted at the thought of 
my day by myself. I was asked, before I started, about luncheon 
and dinner, but begged I might interfere with nothing, as I meant 
to have a long day, and my return was uncertain. I could get 
luncheon at the Oatsheaf, which was the farthest point, and about 
three miles from home. 
Full of the importance of being the only gun, and head of the 
day, I called to the man, and we started. My dog came readily, 
but did not walk at our heels. The man carried a long rope, and 
a heavy, but not. long stick. I could not help asking what the 
rope was for; and, with rather a cunning look, he said, “ I should 
see.” “ Mind,” said I, “ I mean to have a long day.” 
“ Very well, Sir,” was the answer ; “ then, if you’ll allow mo, 
I think we had better take the outside by the manor down, and 
bring the other back.” 
“ Very well,” I said, “ let us start.” 
This order of beating involved a long walk before we began. 
Both of us made much of the dog, and coaxed him in every way, 
but he kept his distance. 
Arrived at our starting-point, the man said, “ Now, Sir, we 
must catch him ; but I think I shall do it better by myself. lie 
knows me.” Accordingly, I got over the hedge, out of sight. I 
heard a tustle and a wince, and then my companion’s exclama¬ 
tion, “ All right.” Anxious to see what the process was, I looked, 
and saw Tippoo with a cart-line tied round his neck, and trailing 
many, many yards behind him. I suppose my looks indicated 
that I did not much admire it. 
“ Never mind, Sir, you will see how it works.” 
“But how,” said I. 
“ Don’t you see, when he gets a point, I step up, and tread on 
the rope. When you shoot, lie rushes, and it pulls him up short. 
That’s my plan.” 
Well, we started in the field where he distinguished himself so 
much on the first day. There was no doubt of finding birds. I 
got over the gate, so did the man. Tippoo never offered to follow. 
We called, we whistled, we coaxed, in vain. My companion 
suggested to walk the ground without a dog ; it did not suit my 
plans, as that was not curing him. Nevertheless, I did it. It 
does not improve an indifferent shot to be crossed in his purposes, 
and I missed right and left, when I should have killed both ways. 
The gun brought the dog; he rushed past me just as I was pre¬ 
paring to load, and vexed at the sight of him, 1 thoughtlessly struck 
at him with my ramroad. It broke into three pieces. 1 felt my 
passion rising. My teeth clenched till they seemed to stick to¬ 
gether, and I was about to break out, when I saw the man 
standing in front of me,— he was smiling. Decidedly every¬ 
thing was against me, but I would not be beaten, and in the 
mildest tone I said, “Very foolish of me, fortunately 1 have another 
at. home, I will fetch it. “But then 1 thought I might be laughed 
at; whei’eas, if I went home later with a reformed dog, and a 
“ good bag,” I should be better able to bear it. I, therefore, 
sent the man, telling him to ask my wife to unlock my gun-case, 
and take out the spare ramroad. 1 desired him to make as much 
haste as possible. “ And the dog, Sir ?” “ You may leave him 
with me.” I chose a shady bank, where I was protected both 
from sun and from sight, and there I sat and pondered on my 
adventures. 
The man seomed a long time away, and so he was. His ex¬ 
planation was, “ Missus was out when he got. home, and he had 
to wait.” lie had not, however, lost his time : he was not tipsy, 
but he had had drink enough to make it quite apparent. 1 had 
not cared for the dog while ho was away, nor had I troubled 
myself as to his whereabouts. I now saw- he had accompanied 
the man, and returned without the rope. 
I was vexed and ill-tempered, and it required all my self-com¬ 
mand to keep it down ; but at no time was it so tried as when 
the man was catching the dog to replace the rope. His half- 
drunken cunning, his fancied ’cute remarks, and his admonitions 
and threatenings to the dog, almost drove me mad. 
But I loaded and started. My visions of pleasure were fast 
disappearing, and it was only obstinacy that made me keep on. 
As I walked on, however, the exercise did me good, aud my 
spirits rose. I determined to make the best of it, and to extract 
pleasure, if possible. 
We entered a large Swede field,and I begged the man to be careful 
in promoting my sport. He gave me a knowing look, something 
between a wink and a nod, and said, “All right, Sir.” Birds 
rose directly. I shot coolly, and killed two of them. I expected 
the dog to rush in, and was not disappointed. Then began a 
scene, my half-drunken man rushed after the end of the rope 
in all directions. Whenever he caught sight of it, he jumped at 
it; then he hurled his stick at the dog, shouting all the time, 
as well as his breathless state would allow him,—“ Tippoo ; down, 
you beast; come here ; drat you ; what are you at; wait till I 
catch you.” It ended in a mighty jump at the cord, when, 
alighting on a Swede, he fell prostrate. He arose after a few 
minutes panting from his exertions. “ Once or twice more, Sir,” 
lie said, “ will cure him.” I answered coolly, “ I hope so.” My 
mind was now fully made up. I sent the man home with the dog, 
I walked about to get rid of my vexations, and was successful in 
my sport. 
When I got back, I found all the family at dinner. They were 
evidently surprised to see me. The man had not reached home, 
