LORD NAAS, 1857-1862 



ruins of the old church at Bert, where he jumped 

 up on the roof of a cowshed and cHmbed up the ivy 

 high on to the gable of the ruins. Mr MedHcott 

 climbed up as far as he could after him and tried 

 to get him to jump down by cracking his whip. 

 There was a great assembly of country people 

 watching the fun, jeering, and crying " Ah, he'll 

 bate ye yet." At last Mr MedHcott got near enough 

 to scare him, and he took a leap right into the 

 middle of the pack, who were huddled up so close 

 watching him that they had no room to lay hold of 

 him. He got clean away, and gave a fine eight-mile 

 run towards Bolton Hill, and escaped. " Such a 

 fox," says Mr MedHcott, " was bound to live." 



Perhaps one or two personal stories of Lord 

 Naas may be allowed before bringing this chapter 

 to a close. He used to read the following letter he 

 received from a bailiff during his absence in Lon- 

 don with great relish: 



Me Lord, 



The fox kiUed one of thim signets on the lake. I 

 found the biggest goose I could in your lordship's 

 absence and put him on the nist. 

 Yours obedient, 



T.K. 



As is well known to Kildare people, there are 

 two towns of Bray in the eastern part of the island, 



293 



