Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1881-02-04
WINTER IN ENGLAND.
y Lively Description OLA Nee An
mspirltinE Scene.

A writer III Blaek1r0odS Magazine
says 1t has become apparent that the
weather has fairly broken, and there
is even some prospect of scent on the
grass and the fallows. There is 4 gen
eral coming, UP from all parts of the
country, for, though squires and farm
tionS 20 distract them, yet too have
been yeXing their souls over missed
chances Of sport. Each man is on the
qRi rire and the horses are decidedly
more so than agreeable. Even the
covcr-hacks seem to have quicksilver
in their heels which is all very we'll;
and the horses in the vehicles Of many
fashions which are pressing forward to
the muster are tossing the foam about
their chests and rafting their frothing
curb-chaius. Sober old hunters, war
ranteo steady when sold, and carrying
certificates Of irrcproachablc character
in their faces and ordinary demeanor,
arc INDUCING ingay and unaccustomed
gambols, while the giddier Youngsters,
although they may be free from
vice, are showing themselves playful
rs kittens and rs full of tricks us SO
many monkeys We think it is Mr..
Benjamin Buckram who remarks in
" Mr. Sponge's Tour in discussing tho
charactc, Of the redoubted Hercules,
that if a gentleman gets split il does
N much argufy' whether it is done
from play or vice. And not \ few gen
tlemen now seem to be much that way
of thinking, rs their mounts, catching
the contagion or eXcitment in the
crowd, disport themselves like fresh
caught mustangs from the Texan prai-
ries. Here is a silken-eoated Young
one on his muscular hind legs grace
fully improving on the antics of n dan
cling bear, and threatening to topple
back upon rider who has scarcely
nerve to bring him back to his bearings
Another, arching his crest and tucking
i'll his launches, shows an English
edition Of the Australian uck-jumping
trick, while most of them are lightly
laying back their ears, or shooting
flashes out of the corners of their eyes
and not a few are unpleasantly ready
with their heels. But lift is all in good
temper on the part of the steeds, the
same can hardly he said of the riders.
The josting, and the chance of Il hum.
men off mental balance who are al
ready uneasy as TO the safety ofscats, X
and it would appear that some lowering
clouds are fitting across the general
hilarity. But the hospitality Of the
worthy master brings incipient unkind-
ness to check The meet at the
kennels means meeting on the lawn,
where the disappearance Of the frost is
demonstrated conclusiveby by the cut
ting up of the turf and furrowing ofthe
gravel. The long tables are spread in
the old oak hall, under polished raftcrs
and scatcheoned panels, and among
family portraits The genial host goes
about among his scarlet-eoated guests,
hail fellow well met with everybody,
and the ladies Of the household, MS they
do the honors Of the tea and coffee,
light up the somber banauctting hall
with their smiles. There is pretty
lively clatter Of knives and forks, in
termingled with the clash OF cups and
glasses. Those who do not sit down
to the more substantial fare gather
round the decanters on Bullets and
sideboards, while the liyeried serving
men are busy out of doors handing
trimming tankards to yeomen and out
siders. If the horses are full of fire
and oats, their exhuberant spirits will
soon be counterbalanced by the circu-
lation Of jumping powder among the
gentlemen OF the hunt: and, il short
retorts are banded few minutes be-
fore, there is universal drowning Of
all unpleasantness. Only should
there be find and should the numer-
Gus field get fairly away with ther fox,
wise man will do well u takea line 81
his own, though at the chance Of hay
ing to face some extra fencing a
cruch in lane or a cannon in gap may
possibly entail awkward consequences,