Literature, art, science, all
these things were beyond their horizon; but the race, the football
match, the cricket, the fight, these were things which they could
understand, which they could speculate upon in advance and comment upon
afterwards. Sometimes brutal, sometimes grotesque, the love of sport is
still one of the great agencies which make for the happiness of our
people. It lies very deeply in the springs of our nature, and when it
has been educated out, a higher, more refined nature may be left, but it
will not be of that robust British type which has left its mark so
deeply on the world. Every one of these raddled workers, slouching with
his dog at his heels to see something of the fight, was a true unit of
his race.
It was a squally May day, with bright sunbursts and driving showers.
Montgomery worked all morning in the surgery getting his medicine made
up.
"The weather seems so very unsettled, Mr. Montgomery," remarked the
doctor, "that I am inclined to think that you had better postpone your
little country excursion until a later date."
"I am afraid that I must go to-day, sir."
"I have just had an intimation that Mrs. Potter, at the other side of
Angleton, wishes to see me. It is probable that I shall be there all
day. It will be extremely inconvenient to leave the house empty so
long.
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