DICK ROOK. 



what do you mean ? " You see," replied Dick, 

 a I never pays those rates to the parson that 

 other folks do, and so I have no business there. 

 But/' continued he, " I have often laid myself 

 down under that oak tree there, and seen the 

 moon and the stars through the boughs, and 

 then" said he " I prays. Don't you think, master, 

 that God Almighty can hear me there as well 

 as in one of them Churches, and then how fine it 

 is to watch the stars, and to think that He made 

 them all as well as a poor man like me." 



In his manners Dick was exceedingly respectful, 

 and very unlike some of those " free and easy 1 ' 

 vagabonds who are occasionally to be met with. 

 He at once gave the impression that he had asso- 

 ciated with gentlemen, listening to their conversa- 

 tion during their shooting parties, and occasionally 

 giving his opinion on some knotty point relating 

 to the sport of the day. There was, however, 

 neither too much freedom nor any degree of ser- 

 vility in his manner, although he would sometimes 

 shew the pride of independence, and could riot 

 bear to have it thought, that the life he was lead- 

 ing could confer any taint on his character. His 

 strict honesty was never doubted, nor was he ever 

 detected in uttering a falsehood. 



From what has been said of his peculiar habits, 

 it may be supposed that his capabilities of en- 

 durance were very great. Such was the case. 



