IN THE AIR. NO. 2.
If your hunting lot should be cast within distance of a stag-hound kennel, I would strongly advise you to learn something about the hounds. Your pleasure in the chase will be greater if you can distinguish between the notes of a trusted hound and those of a youngster which has not proved his right to your confidence. My own reception by kindly Fred Cox, when I made my first visit to Lord Rothschild's celebrated kennels, I have always felt to be a reproach to my fellow-sportswomen on this point. It was during a frost in the early days of 1895, that I determined to ask Cox to show me his beauties on the flags. A telegram brought back a satisfactory reply, and I duly presented myself at Cox's door. Mrs. Cox, however, was doubtful about admitting me, and told me her husband was engaged to show the hounds to a visitor at twelve o'clock.
"But I made an appointment for that hour," was my remark, and the astonishment with which the old lady regarded me I shall never forget.
With uplifted hands she exclaimed, "Well, to be sure ma'am, we thought you was a man!" and it was some little time, I could see, before the old huntsman himself decided that though I had the misfortune to be a woman, I was not altogether ignorant of what a good hound should be.
It will be a good thing when more women who ride to hounds know sufficient of hound work to be able to take an intelligent interest in the performance of the pack in the field, for those who can only enjoy a mad gallop know but little of the inner joys of the hunting field.
Frances E. Slaughter.
THE LADY THEODORA GUEST ON PEMBROKE.
(With the Blackmore Vale Hounds.)