THE HUNTSMAN 59 



since, and, riding about shortly after with his arm in a shng, 

 he encountered a bargain-driving opponent. The man asked 

 him how he was: " Wrtll," said Will, '^ I'm b^rtter, thank ye ; 

 but I can no get my hand i' my pouch 3'et." " Gad ! ye never 

 could do that," replied the man. 



The following is shrewd and characteristic : — " I was paying 

 a bill to a farmer for hay," said Williamson to Nimrod, when 

 that gentleman visited the duke's establishment during his 

 Scotch tour, "nearly fifty pounds, and the farmer insisted 

 upon the odd fourpence halfpenny. " I gave him it," said he, 

 with pleasure, " because it showed I had bought the hay ivorth 

 the vio7ieyr Williamson farmed the Lothian lands during the 

 Duke of Buccleuch's minority, publishing an annual statement 

 of the disbursements, and he is considered a great authority 

 on all points of useful economy. Going to market with ready 

 money and attention to trifles, is, he says, where the great 

 savings are effected. Talking of meal, " I know a gentleman," 

 said he to Nimrod, "who never returns the empty sacks. 

 Was there ever such a thing heard of," continued he, with a 

 strong emphasis on his words, "nuis there ever such a thing 

 heard <?/" as a person not returning the empty sacks ? " An 

 amusing circumstance occurred connected with Williamson's 

 ideas of practical economy. Being a true promoter of hunting, 

 and consequently anxious to enlist followers by making it as 

 cheap as possible, he wrote a paper, showing where great 

 savings might be effected in many of the indispensable articles 

 of stable use — clothes, saddles, bridles, physic, &c., and sent 

 it to a London periodical. The cockney sub-editor got hold 

 of it, and most unceremoniously condemned it, recommending 

 the author, in his notice to correspondents, " to forward a 

 copy of it to the Chancellor of the Exchequer, headed ' Hints 

 for a Budget.' " He doubtless thought his correspondent 

 was some puffing tradesman, instead of the " King of 

 Scotch servants," as Lord Kintore christened Williamson. 



