204 IN THE GREEN LEAF 



people, men and women, about what they had 

 been accustomed to do when they were young. 

 The rights of common lands of which they 

 talk must have existed, otherwise the old 

 owners would not have allowed the cottagers 

 to do what they did without questionings. 

 In the old days folks may have been tolerant 

 in some matters, but they were to a man 

 tenacious about all that concerned their rights ; 

 either way, their own or their tenants, from 

 the highest to the humblest. One old squire, 

 I remember, was appealed to by a new vicar, 

 to use his influence in stopping the villagers 

 from playing cricket on the common on a 

 Sunday afternoon ; the living belonged to the 

 gentleman in question. 



" Eh, bless me ! what is that ? play cricket 

 on a Sunday afternoon ? I never knew they 

 did. It's a capital thing. Damn 'em, let 'em 

 all play ; it will keep some of them out of my 

 coverts." I give this just as it was spoken ; 

 the good old squire did at times use very 

 homely speech, and he chatted to all he met, 

 man, woman, or child. I can see him now, 

 as I write this, coming along with his walking- 

 stick weeding-spud ; his pottering old pointer at 

 his heels, and his old Skye terrier in front of him. 



