A FOX-IIUNTER'S DREAM.

In the early part of the present summer, about 9, P. M. of a rainy day, on which I had been unusually unsuccessful in my attempts to entrap the wary inhabitants of the romantic river I found myself comfortably seated in an arm-chair, in the W-Arms Inn, North Wales. The evening was dull and rainy, and the leaden clouds, driving slowly athwart the sky, afforded anything but an agreeable prospect out-ofdoors; I therefore prepared to make myself in-doors as comfortable as circumstances would permit, and with closed curtains and a smoking tumbler of hot punch before me, I succeeded indifferently well; and stretching my legs out, and leaning back in my arm-chair, proceeded to soliloquize much in the following strain.

Alas! How time flies! A few years back, had any one told me that Old Izaak would have numbered me among his humble disciples, I should have laughed him to scorn. What! The hand that held aloft the heavy-thonged hunting-whip while clearing four feet and a half of stiff timber, to be degraded to the inferior office of holding four joints of hickory and lancewood over a purling stream!--The eye that had wont, quick as light, to see the turn of the leading hound, or the weak place in the fence; now to be occupied in the endeavour to steer the line clear of overhanging bushes, or on the look-out to strike the too cautious inhabitant of the aforementioned purling stream!The neat boot, with shining spur, to be exchanged for the heavy water-proof!- The pink,

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or the brown or hodden grey! - The white doe-skins, for the brown fustians! The... either this punch is very strong, or fishing has an extremely soporific effect, for my eye-lids feel very heavy. Oh, fox-hunting! fox-hunting! — and with the oft-repeated and fondly-loved word on my lips, I fell asleep.

Methought the morning sun shone brightly, and the last nights white frost glittered and sparkled on the trees: the road in the shade was like iron, and the smooth turf before the door was hard as heart of some stingy old governor; but in the open spaces exposed to Sol's glorious influence, the white frost had changed to glittering drops, which were already falling heavily from the boughs of the thick thorntree. Twas 8 o' the clock, breakfast 'ready, and myself and friend booted and spurred, trying, stick in hand, to discover how far the frost had got into the ground, which to our great joy we found not to have penetrated much below the surface. We therefore proceeded to the stables forthwith, and having despatched the trusty Thomas with the gallant steeds, we eagerly prepared our inward man for the fatigues of the day by a substantial supply of provender. After half an hour spent in this interesting recreation, we sallied forth once more, and found to our great delight a gentle mild air blowing from the sweet south, the trees showering down drops, and the road (barring its being a trifle slippery in places) getting soft and splashy.

We therefore mounted our hacks, and, cigars in cheek, proceeded to the place of meeting,Heath, a twelve miles ride, and which we took rather easy, owing to the said slippery parts, and also imagining that in consequence of the frost the hounds would be rather later than usual.

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I never recollect having seen a more perfect hunting morning," said my companion: the sun is clouded over, and the drop is already off the hedges. By my own experience I am led to believe, and others more learned in the Noble Science than I am have, often remarked, that the scent is never good as long as the drop hangs on the thorn.

I believe it to be decidedly the case, and I shall not be

at all surprised, if we have a rattling run to-day. We shall first draw-Hill gorse; but as that is bleak and exposed, and rather thin withal, I doubt our finding there after last night's frost. Then we shall go to some long-sheltered plantations, where we are sure of a find at all times, as they are very strictly preserved by a regular trump; but it is a nasty place to get away from the ground is uneven, and hounds may slip away without your seeing them; and the only preventive I know against that, is to keep your weather eye and both ears open: but as it is now half past ten, and we have four miles to do, I would recommend a little quicker pace. "

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So saying we cantered briskly forward, and soon arrived at the Meet, a large plain at the foot of the hill on which the afore-said gorse was situated, and which the hounds were then in the act of drawing. We lost no time in mounting, and on Old Yorkshireman's back, I was soon among the cluster of red-coats at one corner of the covert. Old Tom, the huntsman, was in the centre of it, in an open part, sitting motionless on his horse, a grey (which I think the best colour for a hunstman's horse, as a hound sees it and gets to him so much quicker). Two or three old hounds at this moment came out of the gorse, and wagging their sterns, looked up into old I Tom's face, as much as to say: "no fox here, old boy: where to next?» Tom seemed of the same opinion, and the gallant grey, obedient to the gentle pressure of the leg and turn of the wrist, moved slowly through the thinnest part of the gorse, occasionally lifting one leg rather higher than usual to keep his fine clean legs clear of the prickles, but never condescending to jump. One blast of Tom's horn with his short, Away hounds, away! brought them out of the covert and to his horse's side, where they moved off at the true hunting jog down the hill to the plantation.

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The plantations were long strips of covert, close to the park-wall of a neighbouring seat. On the outside they continued to where the wall turned off at right angles, and there ended; which being the opposite point to that at which

the hounds were thrown in, was that where the fox usually broke. They had not been drawn for some time, and a fox was confidently expected.

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The hounds, obedient to old Tom's, Loo-in!» dashed into covert, showing plainly by their eagerness, that something was there. The second whip was motionless and silent at the far end. Old Yorkshireman was straining at the tight rein, and trembling with eagerness, when a doubtful whimper made itself heard, sending the blood an extra pace through everybody's veins who, had any business there. Have a care, Rockwood, cries Joe, the first whip, making the echoes ring with the loud crack of his hunting-whip. His have a care! however, was uncalled for, for old Challenger, having dashed to the spot, gave tongue immediately.-Old Tom's Hark to Challenger! could be heard at St Paul's and to make assurance doubly sure, Rantipole, Cerberus, and Hector took it up. Cigars disappeared-horsemen pressed towards the end of the covert-The third whip holds up his hand for a minute, then turns like lightning, and his Gone away! resounds far and wide. Tom, cap in hand, gallops like mad to the place, lays the hounds on, and off they go along the park-wall, then down, the hedge side an instant's checkDo hold hard, gentlemen; he is through the hedge; Challenger hits it off on the other side-What a crash! What a scent! Old Tom, on the grey, puts his horse, steadily at the stile into the next field, and Yorkshireman, pulling like mad, follows him. A hundred others go at the fence, and no fewer than a dozen are down, as is it a rasper. On we go, however, four miles best pace, till we come to a check in a heavy bottom. A strip of osiers is at hand we try around it; and off we go again, on the other side. Then comes the tug of war. The fox had now fixed upon, his point, and was evidently making for--Woods, which were six miles as straight as a die. The field was thinning very fast; Yorkshireman had brushed through his last, one or two fences in rather an unpleasant manner: Brook was straight in our line. Many, knowing the country, and not liking it on blown horses, had sloped off for a bridge, but some ten or twelve

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still stuck gallantly to the pack, who were going too fast to be covered with a sheet, as the phrase is.-Indeed I think it impossible that hounds going the very best pace can run all close together: the brook looked full: four charged it abreast, of whom three got over, and one in, who was seen no more during the run. The next two got over well, and

on looking back I could see splash after splash (48 almost

every one who could get his horse to go at it got in. The field was now reduced to six, and we had reached the woods. Short halt did the game animal make there, but just gave one minute's breathing-time to the horses, and let in one or two of the bathers, of which my friend had been one, but came up here, minus a skirt of his coat and a stirrup-leather, but determined to go on.

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We went away again from the other side of the wood with the huntsman, one whip, a farmer, a hard-riding parson, and three of the members of the hunt, which, including your humble servant and his friend, made nine, qut of a field of nearly two hundred. What a capital fox!» said everyone. The horses one and all soon began to show unequivocal symptoms of distress, and I saw one man get three falls in four fields-I think it was the parson. The hounds began to tail, and in going over a double fence, Old Yorkshireman slipped back, into the ditch. 1, however, got him out. and, by nursing him, came up in time to see the finish, though we were very near losing him at the last moment, he having lain, down in a ditch, and the hounds, dashing on into the next field, threw up their heads; but old Tom, coming up steadily, spied him crawling along a little further down the ditch, and in two minutes had him torn up and eaten. Only five saw the end.Who-whoop! rang out over hill and dale. The horn sounded loudly; and... I awoke. The horn still rang in my ears, so that I was in hopes it was not all a dream; but, the empty tumbler,, red, window-curtains, fishing rod, and fly-book, too plainly showed. I was the poor, solitary angler; and on enquiry found the cursed tin horn of the mail-cart bad, disturbed me from my dream of happiness. (OLD SPORTING MAGAZINE:)