The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1879-03-20

possessing peculiar charms for men,
and, we must add, for women, of
E g,ish or Irish descent. The time
has passed by vhen objections were so
e morally entertained to the par icipa-
ton of ladies in a pursuit which was
once monopOlized by supporters be-
longing exc usively to the male sex.
There is scarcely a county in England
where ladies are not now to be found
as regular attendants Of the meets
and in many cases they have taught
their masculine associates to respect
the nerve and skill which they show
in the saddle. Thus the only objec-
ton that a be made to the riding
across country Of Lady Florence Dixie
is that. like that of Lord Gray de Will
ton, who has Just broken his leg from
a fall, it. is somewhat too hard. The
Empress of Austria is by no means
the least gallant "Amazone' OF those
who now take field, and the perfect
horses that she rides enable her to take
Eer own part with distinction in an
ordinary run. 1t was toward thu close
Of February, in 1900, that the most
celebrated run in the annals OF LelceS>
tersDire took pace. Upon h morn
ing of the same Saturday which IN the
afternoon witnessed this memorable
run from the Punchbowl there was
also a scurry with the same pack from
WymOndham. "There was nothing
Of moment in this first rum" says the
Leicestershire correspondent Of u
contemporary. "unless we take the
broad gully of Wymondham as an in
cident. Wide and ugly as it was. no
rider and horse made SO light of it as
did Mrs. Candy aud her chestnut
The Empress will find fair rivals with>
out stiut in the hunting fields both of
England and Ireland.
The following is a description of
Her Majesty in the saddle. The En-
press Of Austria realized all the pace
and pluck, the skill on horseback and
the daring across country of the fol~
lowers of the Ward Union Hounds.
The Empress hunted to-day for the
first time over an Irish hunting Oun
try, and if this afternoons run with
the Wards is but a f~Oretaste of the
pleasures in store for this august pa
troness Of Diana, we 10 Ireland are
pretty likely to have the illustrious
Austrian an absentee never afterward.
Her Majesty wore q very tight hitting
habit of a dark grayish melton cloth,
the skirt of which was extremely mar
row. The habit vas fastened with
buttons of silver, on which were the
imperial arms. A staDd-up all-rOund
collar and a simple lie bow of black
silk completed her apparel, while she
rode in a tall silk hat She wore her
hair in plain plaits behind, n encir-
cling the other. Her hands were n
cased in tan colored gloves, and over
these Her Majesty wore chocolate
colored knitted mit'ens. | perhaps
run the chance oG being returned for
trial at the next commission if | say
that Her Majesty did not look quite as
pretty or horseback this morning as
she did n .eck ago upon the toaed pa
pc of the Whitehall ReUieaC. [ may
be that Her Majesty was jaded after
her long and wearisome trip by land
and water, and did rot look at her
best She has a most ELEGANT and
graceful figure, her waist being par
tcularly small, while her calriage
ami del ortment stamp her with e
md lible mark of the bluest of blue
blood and royalty. Her Majesty chat
ted freely with the gentlemen around
her. and entered into an animated con
versation with Mr.. MOrrogh, Captain
Middleton and Earl Spencer. AS the
cavalcade withdrew from the lawn
Her Majesty, Mr.. Morrogh and Cap
tain Middleton led the way, and then
followed a heightened string of horse
men and a few carriages. < = x
On the word .GO' being given the
Empress frightened rein with the hand
of an adept. The pace improved as
the blood grew warmer, but the En-
press, riding with wonderful pluck,
kept her position bravely."