RECOLLECTIONS OF GEORGE CARTER. 25 



went, with old Carter after him, and very often he 

 did manage to catch him too. Oh ! a nice place were 

 Wherwell Wood, when it had fair play ; but that was 

 not always. Why, sir, I call to mind a man to Avhom 

 Mr. Smith give ten pounds a year to look after the foxes, 

 and he did look after 'em in his oivn way, for, burn 

 the rogue ! he killed every one he could catch hold on. 

 Why, sir, I remember, sir, one season, the last day o' 

 hunting, we were just a-going home, and that man 

 come up to me and says, ' Well, Carter, I suppose we 

 shan't see you here any more this season, so if you 

 like to come down to the " Lilly Roarer " (White 

 Lion), I'll stand you a glass.' Well, sir, I looked him 

 straight in the face and said, ' Have ye got such a 

 thing then as a shilling about ye? for if ye have you 

 just go down to the collymaker's, and buy a cord and 

 hang yourself, for I'll be blessed if I'll drink with ye.' 

 I beg your pardon, sir, but lie, a man, to take ten 

 pounds of Mr. Smith's money and then kill foxes. 

 But I remember once, sir, a carious thing about 

 Wherwell Wood. You know, sir, I hunted Wherwell 

 Wood every Wednesday and Mr. Smith stayed at 

 home, or went out a-visiting, or some such thing, but 

 sometimes he would come out, as a gentleman, he used 

 to say. Oh dear, oh dear. Well, sir, I beg your 

 pardon, one day we were at Wherwell Wood and Mr. 



