SQURE MYTION AND THE MONKEY.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XXV, Issue 122, 25 May 1891, Page 3

SQURE MYTION AND THE MONKEY.

A good Btory ia told of tbe notorious Jaok Mytton, whioh baa tbe advantage of being perfeotly true. Mr Mytton bad a favourite monkey, and this animal deserved tbe name of champion, so far as misobief was oon« oerned. Mytton himself was certainly one ot tbe moit fearless and daring horsemen of tbe day, and no man then living ooud bave followed the foxhounde Btraightei tban be, Suddenly Jooko, tbe monkey, developed a strong taste for equestrian exercise, and would jump on the back of a valuable hunter and send the borße eoross the country, over hedges and diiobes, quit 6 rtgardlesn of ulterior consequences. Mr Myttpn's head groom often tbraebed Jooko, hoping that a good whipping would deter bim from again indulging in equestrian exeroue, but tho thrashing* proved of no avail. When the groom was out of sight, Jooko would again spring on a banter's baok, and away be and the horse would go. At laet tbe groom complained bitterly to Mr Mytton, vowing that either he or tbe monkey must leave tbe squire's service. "Don't thrash Jooko again," said Mr Mytton, "I will undertake to make bim behave more dißoreet'y in luture. " Tbe tailor vtas sent for, and Jooko was measured for a oomplete hunting euit— scarlet ooat, doeskin breeohes, and blaok velvet oap. Jocko, quito a dandy in bis new clothes, was strapped seourely on to the baok of an old mare, who in her time bad been a rare hunter, and would even now, in her old a^e, follow tbe bounds of her own aooord from Atari to finish of tbe severest and longest tun.

Tbe old mare, with Jocko on her back, was led to tbe place ol meeting, and then led entirely to her own will, uncontrolled. A fox was soon found, and the old mate, finding her head loose, stuck close to the houuda, tearing through hedges and over ditohes in sheer delight. The fox gave them a hard, fast ran that day, and away went tho old mare in the forefront of tbo field. Tbe pace was so hot that some of the huntsmen coon became laggards, and avnied themselves of a short out along a high road. Having lost eight of the hounds they enquired of an old dame in charge of a to'l gate whether tbe hounds; had passed that way. "Na," replied the old woman, "but the young squire galloped through the gate a while ainoe, and bur didn't stop to pay the toll." t . , The young squire proved to be Jooko, deat beaten, who, by tbe time tbe gallant old mate trotted up gaily to the stable door, was little more than a woeful bundle of rags and tatters, his fine olotb.es completely spoiled, and bis face torn and bleeding, tbe effeot of the brambles and blackthorns in the various hedges through whioh the old mare had ruthlessly taken him, Jooko was oured. After thai day's bunting be wbb never again known to venture on to a horse's baok.