marquee where they had been entertained by the
Hunt, and their flushed, convivial faces contributed
to the appropriate atmosphere of the day. They had
drunk the Master's health and were on the best of
terms with the world in general. Had I been inside
the tent as representative of the Southern Daily News,
I should probably have reported the conclusion of his
speech in something very like the following paragraph :
"He was glad to say that they had had a highly
successful season. A plentiful supply of foxes had
been forthcoming and they had accounted for fifty-
eight and a half brace. They had also killed three
badgers. He would like to repeat what he had said
at the commencement of his speech, namely, that it
must never be forgotten that the best friend of the
fox-hunter was the farmer. (Loud applause,) And
he took the liberty of saying that no hunt was more
fortunate in its farmers than the Ringwell Hunt.
Their staunch support of the hunt was something
for which he had found it impossible to express his
appreciation in adequate terms. An almost equal
debt of gratitude was due to the Puppy Walkers,
without whose invaluable aid the huntsman's task
would be impossible. Finally he asked them to do
everything in their power to eliminate the most
dangerous enemy of the hunting-man—he meant
barbed wire. But he must not detain them any
longer from what promised to be a most interesting
afternoon's sport; and amidst general satisfaction he
resumed his seat."
I bought a race-card and went in the direction of
"the paddock", which was a hurdled enclosure out-
114
TVNews
OpenLibrary