AN AUTUMN RAMBLE IN SURREY in 



which the houses are, so that each cottager might 

 have an eye to his geese.' 



'That's as used to be ; but just you let a goose 

 waddle on to the green now, and see what a chouter 

 they make. You has to let 'em nib by the road, 

 and if you has a Neddy you must take 'tickler care 

 as he don't walk about on the roads o' nights croppin' 

 thistles. But bide a bit ; peaceable folks we be, an' 

 always have been ; we want nothin' but our rights, 

 such as they be, and we means to have 'em. Like 

 the badgers what hides in yonder hills, we never 

 meddles, and don't want to be meddled with. They're 

 quiet and means no harm, but if you drives 'em in a 

 corner they fights tooth and nail desprit ; and a quiet 

 fighter is the wust un to tackle.' 



If one can inspire sufficient confidence in men of 

 our friend's stamp and class to cause them to open 

 out their minds freely, one becomes aware of a fast 

 gathering spirit of discontent and dissatisfaction 

 which will make itself openly felt some day. These 

 cottagers and labouring men one might call Conserva- 

 tive Democrats. They are dimly conscious that the 

 world is fast moving on ; the old landmarks are 

 being removed, but others are set up. In the old 

 days, though their wages were less, there were 

 privileges and ' pickings ' to be got from the old 



