88 FACT AGAINST FICTION. 



Ill some places I have known what have been 

 by no means a ^'deserving poor" permitted, 

 without any restriction, to come to the mansion 

 for rabbits. Never many together, but repeated 

 ajiplications by detached old women have been 

 made, until the aggregate of the rabbits thus 

 obtained has l3een considerable. On these occa- 

 sions, no reference was ever made to the head 

 gamekee23er as to the character of the persons or 

 families, or whether or not neglected industry, 

 sickness, or misfortune, had incapacitated them 

 from their usual course of living. On one occa- 

 sion, an old woman came to the house, and 

 applied to the housekeeper for several consecutive 

 rabbits, giving no name, as usual, but simply 

 requesting food, under the plea of her and her 

 family having '^met with misfortin." That ^'mis- 

 fortin " came to light one fine day, through the 

 head keeper having met her leaving the house 

 with a rabbit in her hand, of which he took on 

 himself forthwith to divest her. 



On the matter being explained, the fact came 

 out that this old Avoman's husband had been 

 convicted of stealing game some little time 

 before, in addition to a former imprisonment 



