142 The Amateur Poacher 



age upon the money expended in construction. In 

 this there was nothing that could be complained of; 

 but the hard, mechanical, unbending spirit in which 

 it was done — the absence of all kind of sympathy — 

 caused a certain amount of discontent. The steward 

 next proceeded to turn the mansion^ the park, home 

 farm, and preserves into revenue. 



Everything was prepared to attract the wealthy 

 man who wanted the temporary use of a good country 

 house, first-class shooting and hunting. He succeeded 

 in doing what few gentlemen have accomplished : he 

 made the pheasants pay. One reason, of course, was 

 that gentlemen have expenses outside and beyond 

 breeding and keeping : the shooting party itself is 

 expensive ; whereas here the shooting party paid 

 hard cash for their amusement. The steward had no 

 knowledge of pheasants ; but he had a wide experi- 

 ence of one side of human nature, and he understood 

 accounts. 



The keepers were checked by figures at every 

 turn, finding it impossible to elude the businesslike 

 arrangements that were made. In revenue the result 

 was highly successful. The mansion with the first- 

 class shooting, hunting, and lovely woodlands — every 

 modern convenience and comfort in the midst of the 

 most rural scenery — let at a high price to good 



