70 A Book of the Snipe. 



about most of the remote villages of Ireland 

 and Wales — odd -job men, now working as 

 masons, now as cow-men, now as handy-man 

 to the priest, but ready to resign the most 

 lucrative employment when the "gintleman" 

 appears with his gun-cases and his brace of 

 dogs. 



These men, though perhaps bad citizens, 

 are often perfect treasures on the snipe-moors. 

 Sharp of eye, light of foot, and with an eye 

 for country that many a general might envy, 

 they often possess in addition a sweetness 

 of temper and a genuine stock of that much 

 misunderstood quality ''gentility" that will 

 very often make you feel the hand -shake 

 almost more appropriate than the ''tip" on 

 parting. Here again there are exceptions, 

 and you must occasionally expect to find 

 lightness of foot and the other good qualities 

 slightly tempered by lightness of finger in 

 connection with your cartridge- bag. 



One hint only, and I have done with our 

 friend the lunch and game carrier. When 

 things go wrong, when either the game, or 



