148 The Amateur Poacher 



Half a dozen summonses for non-payment of rates 

 come first ; then a dispute between a farmer and his 

 man. After this the young mother ' swears ' her 

 child ; and, indeed, there is some very hard swearing 

 here on both sides. A wrangle between two women 

 neighbours who accuse each other of assault, and 

 scream and chatter their loudest, comes next. Before 

 they decide it, the Bench retire, and are absent a long 

 time. 



By degrees a buzz arises, till the justice-room is as 

 noisy as a market. Suddenly the door of the private 

 room opens, and the Clerk comes out ; instantly the 

 buzz subsides, and in the silence those who are nearest 

 catch something about the odds and the St. Leger, 

 and an anything but magisterial roar of laughter. 

 The chairman appears, rigidly compressing his fea- 

 tures, and begins to deliver his sentence before he can 

 sit down, but the solemn effect is much marred by 

 the passing of a steam ploughing engine. The 

 audience, too, tend away towards the windows to see 

 whose engine it is. 



' Silence ! ' cries the Clerk, who has himself been 

 looking out of window ; the shuffling of feet ceases, 

 and it is found that after this long consultation the 

 Bench have dismissed both charges. The next case 

 on the list is poaching ; and at the call of his name 



