THE WILLEY WHIPPER-IN. 129 



There was not a spark of enyy in Hs composition, 

 and lie was one of the happiest fellows in the uni- 

 verse. The lessons he seemed to have learnt, and 

 which appeared to have sunk deepest into his un- 

 sophisticated nature, were those of being honest and 

 of ordering himself " lowly and reverently towards 

 his betters," for whom he had a reverence which 

 grew profound if they happened to have added to 

 their qualifications of being good sportsmen that of 

 being " Parliament men." 



Tom's voice was something extraordinary, and on 

 one occasion when he had fallen into an old pit 

 shaft, which had given way on the sides, and could 

 not get out, it saved him. His halloo to the dogs 

 brought him assistance, and he was extricated. It 

 was capable of wonderful modulations, and to hear 

 him rehearse the sports of the day in the big 

 ropmy servants' kitchen at the Hall, and give his 

 tally-ho, or who-who-hoop, was considered a treat. 

 On one occasion, when Tom was in better trim than 

 usual, the old housekeeper is said to have remarked, 

 " La ! Tom, you have given the who-who-hoojD, as 

 you call it, so very loud and strong to-day that you 

 have set the cups and saucers a dancing ;" to which 

 a gentleman, who had purposely placed himself 



