of excitement, ts the cing about Shanghai, fan electrical current rd that Sunday at's pum the fir Paper Hunt Club Meet of the season will be held.
The ladies of Shanghai have nev been far behind the men enthusiasts in their lation of the ex port which is be found in riding, either in the early morning canter along the roads or cross country when there is more time. At the pro-sent time on carly mornings in the Western district one begins to quire a faint suspicion that Shanghai is reaching its girth as a riding centre, as more and more peo} are taking up the sport. Despite this, one frequently hears the coi plaint that in view of the the facil ties for riding here, there is a surprisingly small proportion of foreigners who show the prescribed amount of interest. But be that as it may, the myth of the China pons's treachery is fast being dissipated and io judge from stray bits of comment heard on these exhilarating mornings a "dead-quiet"—pony! (which" many ladies prefer in} spite of their best intentions towards horsemanship) is almost as preva-Tent as his colleague who flies a red ribbon in his tail and capers! slong the road.
Not long ago the first meeting of the Ladies Paper Hunt Club was One keeps one's eye on the paper as steadily as possible, and it is search which adds much to a sport which has for its major allure the actual riding. At checks the whole field is expected to be on the lookout for paper and not to leave the finding of it to the more enter: ing efforts of a few. oon as the trail is picked up again, the cry of "tally-ho" goes up to give the Jelue tothe rest of the field and off 0 the ponies.
In the hunt, riders do not leave the paper, of course, if they want jor cut corners or take jump or a wade is laid. Should the paper be laid across a bridge, warning is always giv cross the bridge, then pulls. up on the other side to' wait for the last rider over, dnd starts off upon the signal, Points like thie can only beconie thoroughly familiar when) ladies have rider, in the meets before, but a safe rule to follow for!
jose to whom next Sunday's meet] will be the first is to keep one exe per and one on the fest of held with so excellent a membership and follow their ex-that great hopes are being enter-ruined for Sunday's meet, the first of thres official meets during the coming season.
Should there bel), less than 20 showing up for the start only four ladies will be on the card at the finish; over 20 there will be five on the eard and over 30 will allow for six on the. card.
According to the master of the hunt, Mrs. N. W. Hickling, it will be nei ther a long nor a strenuous met and in home country. Dr, Noel master of the Men's Paper'
Club, will Isy the, paper.
The mention of the "paper" reminds one that all the etiquette of the hunt is linked up with this trail of white that flicks across the country with a perverse elusiveness. To take part in the meet, implies a previous knowledge of riding ctiquetta, of doing one's bit in the field, of not crowding or doing any of the mad things which sometimes seem to characterize both China pony and rider in the excitement of a strenuous meet. ample. Wha the second hunt comes it will then seem like an old friend, there is no sport which takes ne so deftly as this.
used by the ladies in the meet must be the property of bona! fide members of the Ladies Paper Hunt Club, or the property of ery stable, from which a pony has.
hited for the occasion. Otherwise they are disqualified from the card.
The rules are that to get a pink collar, the first lady in if she is as-wins the fhtweight, and the} fret lady side-saddle wins the Should the first)
on side saddle then there only one pink, To get on the card or to receive "honourable mention" is then the fate of those run—ners-up who come is soon after.
In view of the perfect riding weather and the heavy country it is expected that Sunday's will be an excellent meet.and act as-an accelerator upon the succeeding ones to) be held during the season.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.