THE PRIDE OF MEADOWTHORPE HUNT.

Press, Volume LIX, Issue 11244, 9 April 1902, Page 4

THE PRIDE OF MEADOWTHORPE HUNT.

Bt AuraxD Stoddart.

Boadicea, Major Barclay's flea-bitten grey mare, was the best-known and best-loved four-legged member of the JkJteadowthorpe Hunt. .Verses bad been made about her, songs had been sung about her, and her picture, painted by a celebrated artist, hung in a conspicuous place in the Meadowthorpe Hunt Club. Many and varied were the great deeds she had done, great races, won, great leaps .taken, great runs finished. Tt was Boadicea who had once taken the park gates at Halliday -Hall, carrying Major Barclay's 165 pounds safely over six feet of iron palings; it was she who had jumped the toll gate on. the Meadowthorpe pike one dark night in a mad race during which two other good horses were ruined and one man lamed for life; it was she whom Major Barclay had jumped over a stack of bayonetted rifles during an encompment of militia; it was she who saved the honour of the bunt when everyone else failed—Boadicea —the pride of the Meadowthorpe "first flight," and this was how it happened. The Cedarbrook Hunt was not very faT from Meadovrthorpe—that is as far as actual distance was concerned.. But in prestige and "sporting blood-, the Cedarbrook crowd was considerably removed from the Meadowthorpe set. Some pretty good fellows longed to the Cedarbrook Hunt Club, and they had some good horses too. Moreover, they showed, excelent sport on occasions. But it was not Meadowthorp&. When you have said that, you' bay& expressed it about as well as the thing can be expressed. The Meadowthorpe nard riders are perfectly willing to admit' that there are other places in the world where very decent fox hunting may be had—such as Melton or Market Harboro'—don't you remember poor old Whyte Melville's Jack Sawyer?—or County MeatS, or even Cedarbrook. But none of them is Meadowthorpe. It chanced, however, s one wintry day, that the Meadowthorpe hounds having chased their fox over the border of the Cedarbrook's country, fell in with the latter's hounds, apparently hot' , on the scent of the very same fox. It transpired that there had been two foxes in the beffinning, but they had melted into one. Therefore the two packs of hounds followed suit and the Meadowthorpe and Cedarbrook dub members found themselves riding Side by side. That was a great run. Mile after mile was reeled off without a turn or a twist. What a game old fellow that fox must have been!

Hs escaped with his'brush, as he well deserved to do, bat when the thing came to be talked over a curious fact was observed. Maudsley of the Cedarbrooks was up with the honnds when the fox went to earth, a yard or two in advance of the pack's yawn-

ing jaws. Then came another and still another of the Oedarbrook crowd—Hawkins, their M.F.H.; Battersby and Murphy, their huntsman.

"Why, confound it, old chap," said Hawkins that night to Ralph Goring at the latter'a place, Oak Lodge, where a small but select stage dinner had just been enjoyed. "Confound it—l say—you Meadowthorpe people weren't one, two, three. You may have a lot of good horses over here—l don't say they're not good jumpers. But I like a bit of speed in mine, thank you. We've a lot of good goers with our hounds—if Ido say it myself. "Well," said Ralph, "I don't know what happened to us to-day, but we've got some speed, too, and just to show you that we can do something, what do you say to a point-to-point between the two clubs? You pick your horse and we'll pick ours.'. , "I guess I can safely take you up on that," returned Hawkins. Let's see, next Thursday's Christmas. What, do you say to Christmas morning?" "All right. Couldn't be a better day. And how does a course from the White Horse Inn to Brown's Crossing strike you? There's the church steeple there. It will be a good thing to steer for. The distance is a ■.■trifle over four miles."

"Done," said Hawkins, "and I will put up one share toward a handsome mug for the winner if you Meadowthorpe fellows wild chip in." "Don't let that worry you," said Ralph. And so' it was finally arranged. A Teal point-to-point race—a good stiff distance over a good stiff country! And that night, after the Cedarbrook men had departed, the three or four Meadowthorpe members left discussed the matter solemnly. For unquestionably they had been, ridden away from that day by the Cedarbrook crowd and they were sorely humiliated. It was positively necessary that Meadowthorpe should win this point-to-point. And it was finally decided after due deliberation over many fresh pipes and glasses of hot Scotch, that Boadicea. should be the horse upon which they would pin their hopes. Major Barclay had not been out that day, but had turned up in time for dinner, and he willingly assented to Boadicea's. running for the honour of the dub.

"But when incomes to riding a four-mile steeplechase over some of the stnffest country a horse ever went, count mc out. That's all. You'll have to put a younger man up," he said. ,

It was ordered therefore, by Bradbury, the M.F.H.,.-whose word was "law in such matters, that Dick Middleton should , ride. Middleton was engaged to Beatrice Halliday, who rode to hounds as straight as ever a woman dared ride, and she told him next day .that he might consider their engagement off if he lost. Under. the circumstances, it was - not strange thai Dick Middleton sb<rtild hasten anxiously to his window when he tumbled out of bed on Christmas morning. It was a glorious day, clear and cold, though not freezing—the kind of a Christmas which the superstitious say makes a fat graveyard—but an ideal day for a steeplechase. The great event was set for eleven o'clock, and at twelve there was to be a- great breakfast at the club, to which all Meadowthorpe and most of Cedarbrook was invited. Middleton was still splashing in his tab when Major Barclay was announced. It was at Oak Lodge, Ralph Qoring's place, where Middfeton usually stayed when he was at Meadowthorpe. "What's the matter,- Barclay?" said Middleton a few minutes later, having hastily gotten into his clothes. "Has the mare gone wrong?" "Not she. She's as fit as" a fiddle, but you'll have your work cut out for you. They are to start Blazeaway against us." Now Blazeaway wfls a famous, horse, and had won a dozen big steeplechases, while Boadicea had never started on any course but Meadowthorpe. Middleton whistled softly, but.was not dismayed. . "You say the mare's all right," he said, "and I'm feeling pretty fit myself. We will give 'em a. run for their money." Quite a lot of people were gathered at the White Horse Inn to witness the start, when Middleton and Ralph Gorinsj drove up an hour later. Boadicea and Slazeaway were both in the stableyard, being made ready for their contest Fred Maudsley, of the Cedarbrook Club, was to ride Blazeaway. Maudsley had once admired , Beatrice Halliday very much, a feet which might serve to increase his triumph should he win from Dick Middleton.

When the two horses. were brought out ready for the race, they certainly were a sporty-looking pair. Boadicea was long, rather low on her legs and very rakishlooking—the type of horse .to be seen in one of Alken's plates-r-while Blazeaway was a big handsome chestnut with magnificent quarters and shoulders.. He looked a eteeptechaser all over.

Beatrice Halliday, who had ridden over on her hack to wish Maddieton good luck, had cantered off by a. back lane toward the finishing point, and Ralph Goring stood ready io start the horses. "As they came along the road at a slow canter, he dropped his handkerchief with a quick motion and called "go," and tihey were off.

; It wa» a straight line by the road for about a furlong, men 'Boadicea popped over a low fence, closely followed by Blazeaway, and started across country. On they fl&w together at an easy gallop, both men sitting back in their saddles. Field after field was crossed, and fence after fence was flung behind. Aa yet they were only riding at a fast hunting pace, but even this was beginning to tell on Blazeaway, good horse though he was. For the fences were all stout and high, and the country to be crossed was hSly. Suddenly Blazeaway'e forefeet truck a stiff post-and-rail fence, and he and his rider rolled over.,togethsr into the next field. Dick Middleton looking back saw that neither was hurt. Blazeaway struggled to his feet, and Maudsley mounted him and galloped on as quickly as possible. But Boadicea now led by the lengthy of a good-sized field. Middleton took a hedge leading into a quiet lane, and here, to his surprise, he met Beatrice, cantering briskly along. The lane was lined upon either side by the hedge, and they were* quite alone. Middleton thought the race already won, so he cantered along with Beatrice. She was one of those girls who look their best in a riding habit, and she was particularly fetching to-day. Small wonder, therefore, if Middleton forgot for a time he was riding a race and ranged his horse close enough to bees to asatoh a kiss.

But it was dearly bought, just at that moment the hedge .parted in front of them and Blazeaway landed in the lane going strong, and with fully six lengths start of Boadicea. It was in vain that Middleton set sail after him. He could not seem to get near the chestnut. Over a stone wall and lip a steep incline they went; then' down again, taking a stiff water jump in the valley, There was only a mile more now, and both men were riding the best they knew. Bla?eaway seemed to (have taken a new lease on life, but Boadicea was not yet beaten. The blood that flowed in the grey male's veins was the best the studbook can boast, and blood will tell. Slowly—very slowly—the gap between the two horses was decreasing. Boadicea gained a trifle at every fence. In half a mile she had crept within two lengths of tihe chestnut, and tibere were only three more fences to jump. But Maudsley was pushing his horse to the last bit of speed there was,in him, and again lie seemed to be drawing away. He cleared a stiff four-foot fence with the greatest ease, and both horse were now approaching the lost two jumps, the fences on either side of a lane. The lane was a narrow one—not more than ten feet wide—and Maudsley was checking Blazeaway's pace preparatory to jumping in and' out of it. Middleton, however, only touched the grey mare lightly with his spur, took her the 'head, and sent her on. She went at the Jane at top speed. Out of the corner of his eye Maudsley could see what Middleton was doing and held his breath; He was going to take it all in one jump. "It's my only chance," said Middleton to himself. The horses reached tihe lane together, and Blaaeaway doubled in and out of it very cleverly indeed. But Boadicea, with a supreme effort which earned few her immortality, flew like a bird over tihe lane, fences and all, and never lost ah inch. She was off like a shot before Blazeaway popped over the second fence.

It was a close thing from that point to the finish, but Boadioe&i won by a good lengtih in the end, and later jn the day when the breakfast 'at the clubhouse was at its merriest, a flea-bitten grey mare wae led into the room, and made the circuit of the table. .. She was caressed by the ladies, and given sugar without limit. They made a garland of flowers and hung it about her neck, and it was then and there,-decided to have her picture painted for the clubhouse. But when Dick Middleixm, who sat next "to Beatrice HaUiday, asked hex where his share of praise come in, she turned to him scornfully.: "You don't deserve any. You almost threw the race away," she eaid. "It would have been worth it-—any-iiowf" lie answered, unbhishingly. For which diplomatic sentiment he was rewarded later on—at no cost whatever.