74 Sporting Sketches in Pen and Pencil 



a sov. each, while Smith and Walker, who are perhaps better shots really 

 than the others, only dropped half a sov. 



" William, I hear that you don't shoot so well this year as you did last 

 year and the year before." 



" No; I don't, John," said the party addressed, to his friend; "only half 

 as well, just exactly half." 



" Why, what do you mean ?" quoth John. 



" Why, last year I used to tip Johnson a sov. ; I thought it was too 

 much, as some of the others were not so well off as I, and I reduced it 

 to half a sov., and I've been expecting to hear that my shooting had 

 declined to that extent for months." 



There is no doubt that the system of tips to keepers had at one time 

 reached a pitch which became a serious question to persons of moderate 

 means. The keeper who "never took gold," and the sliootei> who "never 

 gave paper," and so pocketed the offered sov., are on record. It may not 

 be a strictly true story any more than that other tale about the bill for 

 powder and shot which was placed upon the guest's dressing table the 

 morning he was leaving (he having neglected to "tip" properly in some 

 big establishment) ; but they are illustrations of an evil which was a 

 disgrace to owners and required checking. I can speak of my own 

 knowledge to one honourable exception, which deserves mention. I had 

 leave to fish his waters from the Duke of Bedford a year or two since, 

 and on leaving I offered old Anthony, the keeper, the usual gratuity 

 for two days (half a sov.), and my friend the same. The old fellow (a very 

 good sterling old chap) refused it. His orders were to accept no tips 

 whatever. His wages were good, and he wouldn't break his orders. I 

 greatly respected the old fellow, though compelled to pocket my money. 

 I think in this matter His Grace sets an excellent example, which, I 

 believe, runs through his entire establishment and estates, vast as they are. 



But our friends are washing their hands during this discussion, and 

 we rejoin them, and then sit down to feed, and after a comfortable dinner 

 and an hour's chat and smoke, we mounted our trap and caught the last 

 train up. 



About a month after, Haymond came into my place. I hadn't seen 



