The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-12-22
A COTTESMORE MEET.
Characteristic Winter Scene
in LeicesterShire.
How Three Hundred English Gentlemen and
Ladies Turn Out TO Hunt q Fox.

lin9er here and there among the slopes OF the Mid
lands relics of and solid architecture that
dedes time and puts to shame the fashions of later
days Low. long and rambling in shape. built wholly
of stone strong fortress. but covered from roof
to foundation with ivy. like sort of architectural
wolf in Sleeps clothing. backed by few
smaller houses and little antique church
shutting the village. and fronted by magnificent
lawn. well grown with trees and shrubbery, the
cradle structure formed complete a specimen Of
the old time English country house well be
found anywhere between Liverpool and Lands End.
Upon the lawn aforesaid and upon theday in ques-
ton the guest gazing forth from his bedroom win
dow at precisely quarter to eleven O'Clock. ante
meridian. could find startling prospect than
gray and streaky sky, moist lawn and circular
carriage road in the gravel of which the rain of the
previous night had left numerous miniature canals
and tiny lakes. Upon the distant side of small
ravine a group of two three browscd
placidy among the shrubbery picking up wet
breakfast and occasionally pausing to look around,
il doubtful about the weather. In the foreground
ancient gardener. clad in russell blouse and cordu-
roys and appearing to lack nothing but the mantle
of ivy identify him with the house, plodded with
rake and wheelbarrow, around puny bush. IL was
of such pre-eminent dulness that the natural
inclination Of the spectator to back tobod and
wait for settled weather or the millennium.
THE SOLITARY HoRsEMAS'
Suddenly upon this view appeared SOLITARY
horseman." He was not the celebrated and sonabrs
equestrian who figures in the novels of Mr.. James
and other romantic authors. but jaunty rider in
pink coat white breaches and top boots. mounted
a slim and graceful animal the glossy coat and soft
gliding motion of which bespoke the lghtness and
strength of the tiger in the body of the horse As he
rode leisurely up the path toward the house the
bright pink and then eclipsed for moment
Inv fhe ipfe oh nj forth in
all its spendor at the intervals of its reappear-
from behind the bushes and trees Hardly
had this hide and seek of pink and green
and brown ceased by the emcrgence of the
rider from that part of the road bordered by
the shrubbery than another horseman, and behind
him two more all clad in pink and white like the
first appeared in the distance down the path, and
advancing at the lesnrely pace, approached the
house. repeating the Kaleidoscope process of the red
coats and the green and brown bushes. Behind these
three, all superbly mounted, came gay procession
Of six, the uniform this time being varied by
pie of dark coats Then the lawn appeared
other procession i'll the vivid pink and the spotess
white though hardly at the slow an sepulchral pace
which usually characterizes that form of advance.
for two cutting across the grass at gallop
and third is prancing and caracohng about like .
civic major parade day. Within ten minutes from
the entrance of the first horseman. who is dis
mounted at the door paying his respects to the
hostess. the advance has become general. and the
roadway and lawn is covered with small army of
cavaliers in pink and ladies in black with pony carts.
broughams from which in red coats alight and
call grooms for their horses) phaetoQs. landaus,
flies, grooms in cockadcs and belts leading slim
handsome horses grooms not in cocka 'es who are
out from the stables for glimpse OF the meet"
The hallway has become reception chamber and the
dining room offers table loaded with good things in
the way of edibles and potables. constituting the
hunt breakfast"
A BRIGHT ski.
All at onca in the midst of this hilar1ty. hooting
and cheering from the ravine beyond the lawn an
nounce the arrival of the hounds. and from the
window brown and white pack from the famous
Cottesmore Kennels with tails in the air and smiling
the ground be descending the slope in close
order headed by the huntsman and the ~whips'' aud
followed by acrowd OF admiring villagers. few Of
the riders leave the throng upon the lawn and glop
down toward the pack. kicking up the turf in grand
style they 60. At this moment the scene has
reached its height. The clouds, breaking away. il
for this time only. let in the sunshine and the effect
upon the moving multitude Of pink and white
and the green foliage il radiant and brilliant
in the extreme. globe of silvcred glass
catching the sunbcams from its perch in the centre
Of ornamental bed reflects them gayly that it
seems to be playing the part Of minor planet got
up order for the purpose of Illuminating the
casion. Three hundred horsemen and horsewomen
moving 70 and fro amid tho trees give thousand
picturesque eocts of light and color and attitude
and action. Here gentleman in a red coat has dis
mounted and is walking about in long white apron
like that OF butchers apprentice. There lady is
franticay gesturine for her groom TO tighten her
horses grth. In another place three gallants in
pink and top boots curbing their restless steeds
| at convenient flirting distance from landau
tanning two pretty girls. the conversation being
broken by intorjections and ophcts TO the horses.
who won't stand still and assist at Irritation while
| there is so brilliant prospect of hunt.
WIRE THERE
Among the eoodly company are Soma Of the best
names in the United Kingdom. Lord Darlington. in
| in the capacity of master Of tho hounds He has
evidently come up at good pace from Baleythorpe
Hall and the Cottcsinorc Kennels for his horses coat
and his bear traces of the mud that covers the
road. There rumcrs that the Prince Of Wales
means 80 go IGicestershire some time this
son. and IL he does it will be after the hounds of
Rslleythorpc with his friend Lord Darlington. There
are also Lord Rossmore who il rcckoned . daring
rider over the Irish well the English country;
| Lords Manners and Hclmsla. Lady lonsdale. Lady
and wife of the gallant captain who, like Lord Wilton
and two others OF the famous hunters OF
Leicestershre, conspicuous to-day by his absence.
being away for days shooting. Then there are
Captains Middleton the celebrated bay J. Bryce.
Boycc and whitmore Mr.. Hugh Lowther. the younger
and Baldock; Mrs. Stirling Miss Hartupp and scores
of others equally well known list of whose names
| would All whole column
srAgrED.
Suddenly amid the noise and turmoil of this mer-
rimcnt prolonged and not uimusical shout from tho
village draws attention that way and the motion Of
the hounds indicates that the signal has been given
TO start where the fox ID TO be unearthed
and the days sport to begin Back from the ravino
goes tho pack in tho same solid phaanx followed by
another phasnx OF ragged lads and further by the
most eager OF the hunters. The lead is quickly inn
tated and general retreat begins In the direction of
| the disappearing hounds BY twos and thress the
red coats fash the lawn disappear and reap
pear and disappear again among the trccs, breaking
forth at last down at the ravne, where
struggling line is winding out OF sight
| over the OPPOSITE riaee. inc morley group or car
swings rapidly around the circular path and rolls out
beyond the shrubbcry toward the hidden gates.
There In hurried mounting of grooms. bobbng
up and down OF cockadss they galop after their
| masters, cracking of coach whips, hearty round
OF applause from the villagers, who in their turn
begin dispense toward the village in the rear and
i as the last stragglcr disappears the front