OConors of Castle Conor, County Mayo | Page 5

Poor Jack! I
fear that the Encumbered Estates Court sent him altogether adrift upon
the world.
"We may still have a run from Poulnaroe, if the gentleman chooses to
come on," said a voice coming from behind with a sharp trot. It was
Tom O'Conor.
"Wherever the hounds go, I'll follow," said I.
"Then come on to Poulnaroe," said Mr. O'Conor. I trotted on quickly by
his side, and before we reached the cover had managed to slip in
something about Sir P. C.
"What the deuce!" said he. "What! a friend of Sir P-'s? Why the deuce
didn't you tell me so? What are you doing down here? Where are you
staying?" &c. &c. &c.
At Poulnaroe we found a fox, but before we did so Mr. O' Conor had
asked me over to Castle Conor. And this he did in such a way that there
was no possibility of refusing him--or, I should rather say, of
disobeying him. For his invitation came quite in the tone of a
command.
"You'll come to us of course when the day is over--and let me see;
we're near Ballyglass now, but the run will be right away in our
direction. Just send word for them to send your things to Castle Conor."

"But they're all about, and unpacked," said I.
"Never mind. Write a note and say what you want now, and go and get
the rest to-morrow yourself. Here, Patsey!--Patsey! run into Ballyglass
for this gentleman at once. Now don't be long, for the chances are we
shall find here." And then, after giving some further hurried
instructions he left me to write a line in pencil to the innkeeper's wife
on the back of a ditch.
This I accordingly did. "Send my small portmanteau," I said, "and all
my black dress clothes, and shirts, and socks, and all that, and above all
my dressing things which are on the little table, and the satin
neck-handkerchief, and whatever you do, mind you send my PUMPS;"
and I underscored the latter word; for Jack O'Conor, when his father
left me, went on pressing the invitation. "My sisters are going to get up
a dance," said he; "and if you are fond of that kind of things perhaps we
can amuse you." Now in those days I was very fond of dancing--and
very fond of young ladies too, and therefore glad enough to learn that
Tom O'Conor had daughters as well as sons. On this account I was very
particular in underscoring the word pumps.
"And hurry, you young divil," Jack O'Conor said to Patsey.
"I have told him to take the portmanteau over on a car," said I.
"All right; then you'll find it there on our arrival."
We had an excellent run, in which I may make bold to say that I did not
acquit myself badly. I stuck very close to the hounds, as did the whole
of the O'Conor brood; and when the fellow contrived to earth himself,
as he did, I received those compliments on my horse, which is the most
approved praise which one fox-hunter ever gives to another.
"We'll buy that fellow of you before we let you go," said Peter, the
youngest son.
"I advise you to look sharp after your money if you sell him to my
brother," said Jack.
And then we trotted slowly off to Castle Conor, which, however, was
by no means near to us. "We have ten miles to go;--good Irish miles,"
said the father. "I don't know that I ever remember a fox from
Poulnaroe taking that line before."
"He wasn't a Poulnaroe fox," said Peter.
"I don't know that;" said Jack; and then they debated that question
hotly.

Our horses were very tired, and it was late before we reached Mr.
O'Conor's house. That getting home from hunting with a thoroughly
weary animal, who has no longer sympathy or example to carry him on,
is very tedious work. In the present instance I had company with me;
but when a man is alone, when his horse toes at every ten steps, when
the night is dark and the rain pouring, and there are yet eight miles of
road to be conquered,--at such time a man is almost apt to swear that he
will give up hunting.
At last we were in the Castle Conor stable yard;--for we had
approached the house by some back way; and as we entered the house
by a door leading through a wilderness of back passages, Mr. O'Conor
said out loud, "Now, boys, remember I sit down to dinner in twenty
minutes." And then turning expressly to me, he laid his hand kindly
upon my shoulder and said, "I hope you will make yourself quite at
home at Castle Conor, and whatever you do,