58 UNDER GREEN LEA VES 
leather gaiters of a dark brown ; these reached to- 
his hips, having no end of buttons to them. A short 
round frock covered his upper person. The father 
was dressed in precisely the same fashion, they seemed 
a large and small edition ; even the shirt collars were 
the same. I knew Jemmy, too, when he had done 
schooling, and had grave matters to attend to ; for his 
father died, leaving the mother to his care. Mother 
and son understood each other perfectly, and he was 
devoted to her. The measured words of premature 
wisdom that fell from the lad's lips gained for him 
the title of 'Father Jemmy.' But what a shot he 
was! He could fish, too, with a rod and line, or 
without one ; and, rarest gift of all, he could keep 
his mouth shut when there was not any good reason 
for opening it. 
Quaint, manly Jemmy, he did his best for his 
mother as long as she lived, and when she died he 
was not long in following her. A fine eight-day 
cuckoo clock stood in one corner of their kitchen, inside 
the case of which he kept his single-barrelled gun ; a 
good one it was, and always kept ready loaded. ' I like 
to have things ready and handy-like,' he was wont to 
remark ; ' you never know when they may be near ' 
the birds he meant. There was no gun licence needed 
in those days, only a game certificate. The things that 
