THE WILLEY EECTOR. 119 



case, with spectacles raised and head thrown back, 

 as though to look above the petty details of the 

 plaint, after sundry hums and haws, with inquiries 

 after the crops between, and each one telling some 

 news about his neighbour, he would find the evi- 

 dence on both sides equally balanced and suggest 

 a compromise ! A good tale is told of the justice 

 wanting a hare for a friend, and employing a noto- 

 rious poacher to procure one. The man brought it 

 in a bag. " You've brought a hare, then ? " "I 

 have, Mr. Stephens, and a fine one too," replied 

 the other, as he turned it out, puss flying round the 

 room, and over the table amongst the papers like 

 a mad thing. " Kill her ! kill her ! " shouted 



Stephens. ''No, by Gr ," replied the poacher, 



who knew that by doing so he would bring him- 

 self within the law, " you kill her ; I've had 

 enough trouble to catch her." After two or three 

 runs the justice succeeded in hitting her on the 

 head with a ruler, and thus brought himself within 

 the power of the poacher. 



The parson was sometimes out of temper, and 

 then he swore, but this was not often ; still his 

 friends were wont to joke him on the following 

 domestic little incident : — His services were sud- 



