14 Tom Sj)rin(/s Back Parlour, 



and supplied him with new milk, was very enthusiastic 

 about his performances. 



We had a funny scene at Woking, where the train 

 stopped, and a number of the constabulary were drawn up, 

 and announced that they had a warrant to arrest the men, 

 on which Old Bishop, the gun-maker of Bond Street, ex- 

 plained that it was a private train, and that he had come 

 down with a party, " to consecrate a church^ After much 

 parleying and delay the police were allowed to get into an 

 empty carriage at the end, and after they had been run 

 out a hundred yards, the train was backed and the bobbies' 

 carriage was uncoupled, and they were left lamenting. 



We had good fun with an old farmer in a smock-frock, 

 in whose field the fight took place. I often pass the spot 

 now, near Fleet Pond. It was a meadow three fields 

 off from a lane just below a high embankment : each 

 meadov/ had a gate opening into the last, which was a cul- 

 de-sac. A long parley ensued about what was to be paid, 

 and Spring and Burn wanted to give three pounds. 



"Noa," said the farmer ; "five pounds is my money." 



" But," argued Jem Burn, '' you are an old fool, for we 

 shall do your meadows five pounds' worth of good, trampling 

 'em down in the middle of October." 



u Very likely you will." 



*' And you will see the fight for nothing." 



u Yery likely I shall." 



"Now, what is your price? " 



Farmer, loq. " Five pounds in money, gentlemen ; five 

 pounds' worth of good done to my meadows by stamping 

 'em down, and a view of the fight for nothing." 



" Give the d old fool his fiver. Burn," shouted a 



noble Lord (since deceased) v/ho was in the Life Guards, 

 and who lived almost for sport. 



" Ah ! just you do ] that's what I say about it." 



