10 Tom Sping's Back Parlour. 



" That I could, uncle," said Mrs. B. ; '' and should 

 like the job too." 



Spring Avas a very industrious man, and was always busy 

 in the morning, sometunes in a white smock-frock when he 

 was arranging his cellar. He enjoyed life thoroughly, be- 

 cause he never w^as a cockney. He knew a good horse, or 

 dog, or game-cock, especially a good beast, and was a good 

 judge of farming. I met him at the Cattle Show once, 

 amongst the Herefordshire shorthorns (Herefordshire being 

 his county), and I was immensely pleased to see how his 

 countr}Tnen welcomed him. Top-booted, sturdy farmers and 

 graziers and theii' daughters crowded round him ; and his 

 opinion — particularly as he was originally apprenticed to a 

 butcher — was cordially asked for. He was also very fond of a 

 day's shooting, and I can record what I heard from a country 

 gentleman, Avho had some very fine preserves in Hampshire, 

 and who let his shooting one year, owing to the absence of 

 his sons, of a trait in Tom Spring's character. My host 

 told me that he was horrified to hear from his head keeper 

 that the gentleman who had hired his shooting had invited 

 Tom Spring and Frank Redmond, the prize-fighters, to 

 shoot ; and that he, of course, expected wholesale slaughter, 

 and every kind of poaching. He also told me of his 

 surprise when he received a letter from Tom Spring, 

 apologizing for having accidentally shot a hen-pheasant 

 (hens being held sacred in January), and saying that he had 

 fined himself half a guinea for his mistake, and had paid it 

 to the keeper. 



I never shall forget an eccentric picture which I saw 

 once in the old back parlour. I had been away for a few 

 days, and read in the paper that Spring's eldest son had 

 died very suddenly. I at once started for Spring's, and 

 Mrs. B. told me that the governor was sitting alone, and 

 very bad indeed. I went in to see him, and I could not 



