156 Ikinss of tfoe 1Rofc, IRifle, anfc <3un 



" Don't you be down-hearted, young gentleman. My 

 sons are took just the same way when their father's 

 lookin' on, but they can shoot straight enough when 

 he's away. And I do say that it's enough to frighten 

 any young gentleman to see an old man like him 

 shootin' in that fashion when he ought to be thinkin' 

 of the other world as he's a-goin' to, where there ain't 

 no such nonsense as shootin'." 



The stalwart miller only laughed and said : 



" Well, I dunno about that, missis ; but I daresay this 

 young gentleman will shoot well enough one of these 

 days ; and now I reckon he'll come indoors and have 

 a bit of refreshment and a talk about getting this new 

 gun." 



When I went into the parlour, the first thing I saw 

 was the portrait of John Holt which accompanies this 

 article, hanging up framed, in a conspicuous place on 

 the wall. I stepped up and looked at it. 



" Ah ! " said my host, seeing me thus engaged, " that's 

 the likeness of the best sportsman I ever knew John 

 Holt, of Tottenham, one of the good old sort that's 

 pretty nigh died out. He was my wife's uncle, and 

 many a day's sport he and I have had together." 



My sporting Mentor then gave me some examples 

 of his friend Holt's prowess with the gun. 



" I reckon myself a good shot," he added, " but I 

 don't think I was ever quite the equal of John Holt 

 with the gun, though I won't say as I was so very 

 far behind him. I pride myself now on killing all 

 my birds dead. I can't a-bear to wing 'em, and that's 

 why I use such a small bore. And that I learnt from 



