142 LONDON ANGLER'S BOOK, 



glass." The old fellow, putting his hand to his forehead to render 

 his vision more perfect, soon found out who it was addressed him 

 and, dashing down his spade, roared out with an oath, " you'd 

 better make your lucky, or I'll be the death of you ; you are one 

 of those chaps I seed with the patrol the other night for robbing 

 an hen roost." His old wife, hearing the noise, soon made her 

 appearance, and vented forth her abuse upon the Angler till she 

 was nearly choaked with rage. This only produced laughter on 

 the part of Charley and his friend, who journied on. 



Some few days after, Jem, in the way of business, had occasion 

 to send a workman into Kent, and requested him to deliver a 

 message for him at the ale house, describing the place, for which 

 service he would give him a pot of ale, this was readily agreed to, 

 the house was easily found, and the parlor entered, the pot of ale 

 was brought, and this enquiry made, " before I pay you, and lest 

 1 should forget, I've got a question to ax you, pray have you 

 fixed your glass." This was enough, " what's that to you, what 

 you are some of them 'ere thieves, are you. Here Bob," calling 

 her husband, " here's some of these chaps come again ; you're 

 come here to thieve summut, we don't want none of your custom, 

 so be off," by this time Bob was by her side, and, understanding 

 the enquiry about the glass, roared out " The sooner you're off the 

 better, and you may tell that long un not to come here again, or 

 I'll do for him." The poor fellow was dumb-foundered, little 

 expecting that a simple question would produce such a storm, and 

 lifter many attempts to explain, he at last got to say " I don't see 

 why you should abuse me in this manner, I was told to ax you a 

 civil question, and I an't done anything to you," this expostulation 

 produced no other effect than a continuation of the abuse, and the 

 man was glad to retreat as well as he could, wondering why a 

 simple question (" pray have you fixed your glass,") should pro- 

 duce such abuse, and grumbling proceeded on his journey. 



Not long after this, a gentleman, a commercial traveller, was 

 about departing from town into Kent, and Jem told him if he was 

 fond of good ale, to call at this house, and he would find some of an 



