124 MEMOIR OF 



how a word from a man of Russell's influence 

 might have had such effect on a common-sense 

 juryman as to enable mercy to triumph over the 

 strict letter of a law which, from its undue 

 severity, became abrogated not long after the 

 event here recorded. 



Tom Square was a man of peculiar habits — 

 off by night and abed by day ; earth-stopping 

 in the season, and when that business was 

 over, discovering the whereabouts of litters, 

 and whether the young vagabonds had after- 

 wards strayed : these were the exploits for 

 which Tom was renowned. His nocturnal habits, 

 however, led eventually to serious results : the 

 sharp moor air, acting keenly on a probably 

 empty stomach, tempted him to look with 

 hungry eyes on some well-to-do Exmoor hog- 

 getts, which, from time to time, the owners 

 found to be absent without leave. 



In a word, he took to sheep-stealing ; and as 

 that crime was known to be increasing in the 

 neighbourhood, the farmers combined to set a 

 watch and, if possible, detect the culprits. So 

 our poor friend Tom, with others, "got into 

 trouble." He was suspected, watched, caught 

 red-handed, and, although many believed his 

 assertion that "*Twas the very fust time he 

 had ever doo'd zich a thing," yet was he 

 proceeded against according to law; he was 

 arraigned, tried, found guilty, sentenced, and 



