ne. Other tricks, such as sending
sheep-dogs to head foxes, and stationing farm hands to shout "wire!"
where there is none, have also come under my personal notice. Indeed it
is impossible to live in the country, without observing such acts of
hostility on the part of farmers towards "hunting people." I cannot help
thinking that much of this tension might be removed, if every hunt
secretary followed the example of Colonel Francis Henry, the Hon.
Secretary of the Duke of Beaufort's Hunt, of whom we read in _Baily's
Magazine_ of March, 1902:--"Colonel Henry, who, in the opinion of his
numerous friends, seems to possess the secret of eternal youth,
contrives to enquire personally into every complaint that is sent to
him, whether relating to damaged fences, loss of poultry or, rarely,
'wire offences.' There is no better known figure in Gloucestershire than
that of Colonel Henry on his hack, one of his own breeding by the way,
which carries him on his long rides; he is wont to say that in dealing
with a grievance 'one visit is worth a dozen letters.' His geniality,
and the painstaking care with which he investigates every matter to
which his attention is called, dissipate at their beginning many
difficulties which, handled with less sympathetic diplomacy, would 'come
to a head' and produce the friction which tells against sport.
Landowners, farmers, and business men alike in the Badminton country are
keen supporters of fox-hunting, and their attitude towards the sport is
due in no small degree to the unremitting attention and care for their
interests displayed by the honorary secretary both in winter and
summer." The truth of Colonel Henry's remark that one visit is worth a
dozen letters, was exemplified to me the other day by an old lady, a
farmer's wife, who regretted the sad change in "hunting people" since
her young days, when they "used to come in and chat with me as affable
as could be." She mentioned the name of Mr. Wroughton, who partook of
some of her "cowslip wine," and so much was she impressed with the visit
that every small detail of it, even the year, month, day and hour, and
also where he sat in her parlour, remains a treasured memory. He made a
friend who will always speak of him in the highest terms, because he was
nice and civil to her, and it seems to be a matter for regret that this
friendly feeling is not more generally cultivated than it is in hunting
districts.

[Illustration: Fig. 137.--Red flag.]