THE FOREST AS IT OUGHT TO BE. 285 



is half-a-crown for you, and you will all have your 

 dinner at Christmas if your husband continues to 

 conduct himself properly." " Thank you, Sir," re- 

 plied the smiling dame ; " I'm very glad he wishes to 

 oblige your honour ; I'm sure it's better for me and the 

 children, as he never keeps out at night drinking 

 now." With a low curtsey she receives the half-crown, 

 Avhich was two shillings more than her husband could 

 have got for the leveret, had he behaved dishonestly 

 and sold it. The ranger is turning on his way, when 

 the woman asks him to step into her little garden ; he 

 does so, and she says, " Please, Sir, will you see what 

 the deer have done to our garden-stuff? there is a doe 

 or two that jumps the fence and comes here at night." 

 He inspects the damage, and sees, not only that the 

 garden is properly fenced for a cottage, but also 

 where the deer have jumped over, and that they have 

 not been let in on purpose or by neglect. " \Yell," 

 the ranger says, "you know the old forest law is 

 abolished, and now every man has a right to kill and 

 take a deer .on his own land for his own use ; there- 

 fore, your husband can protect himself." "Yes, Sir, 

 Ave know it," rejoined the w^oman ; " but we would 

 not think of hurting the deer for fear of displeasing 

 your honour." 



" Thanks, my good woman ; then, if it is the same 

 to you, I will order the keeper of the walk to lend 

 you a deer-trap, which your husband can look to, 

 and, when the deer is caught, you shall either eat 

 her, or I will buy her of you, whichever you like." 

 The ranger said this because he would not give an 

 excuse for the dangerous possession of a gun or trap 

 to a man but just reclaimed from evil habits. What 

 a beautiful scene the forest was then ! its magnificent 



