s, however, a distinctive feature of the incomes of those who were Irish landlords during the latter year

e, though a pessimist in politics, was an optimist in most other matters, and found it impossible to conceive a state of affairs when he would be unable to do-approximately-whatever he had a mind for. At the age of fifty-eight, fortitude and endurance are something of a difficulty for a gentleman unused to the exercise of either of these fine qualities, and after keeping the Broadwater Vale Hounds, for seventeen years,

gentleman to do," he would say to his cousin, Mi

rd them, why keep them?" Frederica wou

of erosion, however, to which reference has been made, were, comparatively speaking, slow in operation, and there remained always Lady Isabel's twenty thousand golden sover

snowdrops had appeared in the grass round the wide gravel sweep in front of the house; there was a perplexed primrose or two, deceived by the sun as to the date; the scent of the violets in the bed under the drawing-room windows, came in delicate whiffs round the corner of the house. It would have been impossible to believe that but twenty-four hours ago, Christmas hymns had been shouted, and Christmas presents presented, ha

Wran, the Kin

' Day was cot

s little, his f

lemen, and give us

Talbot-Lowry and his staff had already met so many of such companies on their way to the Meet, that th

kfasts. Larry had learned many things since that day of abysmal ignorance when he had spoken of Amazon as a "nice dog." Among his many enthusiasms he now included a passion for the chase, and all that appertains to its elaborate cult, that complied with Christ

ith his young cousin. He had gathered, hazily, from his wife, such of the tenets of the Companions of Finn as she, instructed by Miss Weyman, had been able to impart, and had not approved of them, nor of Larry's part in introducing them to his young; also

and Dick, if not very wise, was very good-natured, and was wise enough to realise that the fine wea

hat's right. Good boy. Wher

of the owner of the coverts alight in his eyes. "I'm certain he's there. I went round with S

in Dick, with royal benignity. "You get away outsi

tious care. He was of a type sufficiently common among southern Irishmen, with thick, strong-growing, black hair, a lar

with a sandwich from which he had taken a bite of the size of one of his hors

t with him; "what chance is there for a gentleman in this damned country? You might as well have a mill-stone round your neck

as that altogether! I have my little girl out for the first time to-day, Major. I wonder

th his daughter at his heels, proceeded through the assembl

and clergymen with almost equal success and profusion. There is in the national character a considerable share of the constituents that are valuable in both professions. Power of sympathy, good-n

virtue, and may feel confident that Father Hogan failed in none of the qualities that have been enumerated. Father David was, indeed, the most popular man in the country with all classes and creeds; he was universally known as the Chaplain of the B.V.H., and was accounted one of the chiefest glori

oinder prescribed in such cases, and Major Dick's

drew near to the Misses Talbot-Lowry, beaming upon these two lambs from another fold, and having congratulated Miss Judith on the appearance of the grey mare that she

ble power and volume, was incapable of falling, and with anything under eight stone on its piebald back (piebald from incessant and sedulously concealed saddle-galls) could always be trusted to keep within reasonable distance of hounds when they ran. It was fortunate for Christian that Judith, now sixteen, and far from a feather-we

aping-hook nose h

holidays always held the menace of brothers to

lfishness, darling!" "Afte

d be misplaced, it is difficult to say). Christian was ever quick to respond to the call for martyrdom, but that the Twins should both maltreat and despise the venerable Harry, added a poignancy to r

f about the same size in relation to it as the "Wran" to the holly-bush, was now blissfully discussing

es from Mount Music, and to their cousin, young Larry Coppinger. He was in no hurry, and he had often had occasion to a