96 Sporting Sketches in Pen and Pencil. 



regiolar field days at 'em at the end of the season, and ask a friend or so. 

 Let them shoot all the bunnies they can and keep all they shoot. Give 

 'em a bit of roast beef and a goose after, and when they are in high good 

 humour make them a speech, and say you never will consent to injure them 

 by excess of game ; that what game there is you wish them to have some 

 sport out of as well as yourself ; that if ever anyone has cause — or thinks 

 he has cause — of complaint, only let him come to you, and you will talk 

 it over with him, and settle it on a fair basis then and there. Wind up 

 with a jolly song or two to promote harmony, and you won't hear much 

 about damage. If you do you may depend upon it it will not be quite 

 without reason; and if you are wise you will do yoiir best to settle it. 

 That was my advice in respect to rabbits ; and depend upon it, if you don't 

 do something of that kind, you will have to put up with worse. 



In some counties, now, farmers won't take farms unless they have 

 the right of game too ; and, in many, they insist on the right to trap, 

 and trapping, if carried out at all closely, will soon make a clearance of your 

 rabbits and hares. 



On the estate in question a very good feeling had always prevailed, 

 and the keepers' days were an institution. On that Eriday, Tite and self 

 were threading our way through the maize of carts which always blocked 

 the road at the Green Man— (i'Aomme vert et tranquille, as oiir lively 

 neighbours render that remarkable sign ; why " a green man," or why 

 " a still," I can't imagine) — on to Squasham, where we pull up for our 

 " morning," and a greeting to the pretty Miss Thickets, who dispense the 

 liquids to thirsty souls, and don't, as they would have done in Goldsmith's 

 time, "Kiss the cup and pass it to the rest," but smile their sweetest 

 instead. Now we skirt the downs; a few miles further and we plunge 

 into a fine avenue, turn down a side lane, and pull up at the keeper's house, 

 where a shout of welcome meets us, and every hand is stretched out to 

 welcome the Medico, who is popular. Then I come in for "Mr P., 

 Mr. White; Mr. Brown, Mr. P.; Mr. F., Mr. Green; Mr. Black, Mr. P.," 

 and so on, and in five minutes we are all as jolly as sand-boys, each one 

 had his gun over his shoulder. We were the only visitors, most of the others 

 were tenants. 



