CH. XXV. 



OLD SHEPHERD. 



95 



With great discretion the old people talked to me 

 but little during the meal, seeing that I was tired 

 and hungry ; but over the glass of capital toddy 

 which succeeded the tea I had many a question to 

 answer respecting the killing of the stag, etc. 

 The old lady spoke very little English, but under- 

 stood it well enough. The old shepherd listened 

 with great interest, the more so from having been 

 a somewhat famous stalker in his own time, and 

 now a great lamenter of the good old time when 

 deer and black cattle were more plentiful, and 

 sheep comparatively few to what they are in the 

 present clay. 



