e; for the cold had struck through his person, his fine clothes being a
poor substitute for his thick double-milled red coat, blankety waistcoat,
and Jersey shirt.

There are some good-natured, well-meaning people in this world who think
that fox-hunters can talk of nothing but hunting, and who put themselves to
very serious inconvenience in endeavouring to get up a little conversation
for them. We knew a bulky old boy of this sort, who invariably, after the
cloth was drawn, and he had given each leg a kick out to see if they were
on, commenced with, 'Well, I suppose, Mr. Harkington has a fine set of dogs
this season?' 'A fine set of dogs this season! 'What an observation! How on
earth could any one hope to drive a conversation on the subject with such a
commencement?

Some ladies are equally obliging in this respect. They can stoop to almost
any subject that they think will procure them husbands. Music!--if a man is
fond of music, they will sing themselves into his good graces in no time.
Painting!--oh, they adore painting--though in general they don't profess to
be great hands at it themselves. Balls, boating, archery, racing--all these
they can take a lively interest in; or, if occasion requires, can go on
the serious tack and hunt a parson with penny subscriptions for a
clothing-club or soup-kitchen.

Fox-hunting!--we do not know that fox-hunting is so safe a speculation for
young ladies as any of the foregoing. There are many pros and cons in the
matter of the chase. A man may think--especially in these hard times, with
'wheat below forty,' as Mr. Springwheat would say--that it will be as much
as he can do to mount himself. Again, he may not think a lady looks any
better for running down with perspiration, and being daubed with mud. Above
all, if he belongs to the worshipful company of Craners, he may not like
for his wife to be seen beating him across country.

Still, there are many ways that young ladies may insinuate themselves into
the good graces of sportsmen without following them into the hunting-field.
Talking about their horses, above all admiring them, taking an interest in
their sport, seeing that they have nice papers of sandwiches to take out
with them, or recommending them to be bled when they come home with dirty
faces after falls.

Miss Amelia Jawleyford, who was most elegantly attired in a sea-green silk
dress with large imitation pearl buttons, claiming the usual privilege of
seniority of birt