50 ON SURREY HILLS. 



their regard for their employers was very genuine. 

 One of them observed to me once, after a change 

 of owners had taken place, " I'd sooner hev the 

 old Squire give me one o' his jacketin's when summat 

 had riled him a bit : massy alive ! he could put it 

 out, 'twas a real pleasure to hear him, he did rap 

 it out so. But Lor' bless ye ! all as ye'd got tu du 

 was to stan' an' hear it all, an' say nuthin' ; fur when 

 he'd said it he'd walk away, and presently, mind 

 ye, he'd cum back an' he'd say, 'Tom, this ere 

 damned gout makes me say things as I didn't 

 ought to: here's half-a-crownd fur ye; ye get on 

 with yer work/ Hap' he'd had a word or two in- 

 doors that mornin' ; bless ye ! they has a rumpus, 

 in the shape o' a word or two, now an' again, same 

 as we has, and when they's had their say they likes 

 one another all the better fur it, that's my 'pinion 

 on it. Most menjous high spirity folks wus the 

 old master and the missus ; but oh, warn't they 

 real good uns to all the likes o' we ! I'd sooner 

 hev a jacketin' from th' old Squire three times a-day 

 than I'd hev a gold suvrin from this un. I puts up 

 with un till I gits summat else tu du ; when I gits 

 that I leaves he quick." 



