13 EXPERIENCES Of SPOKT. 



The whole field were standing round the 

 ranks were thrust aside, and my father rushed 

 in. 



" My darling boy/' he exclaimed, falling on 

 his knees before me, " it's your father ; don't 

 you know me ?" 



" Curses on it !" he exclaimed in his passion, 

 " whose gun has he been shooting with ?" 



It was all explained to him, and I was carried 

 in. 



I shall never forget the scene my mother, 

 my sister, and brother, friends, and relations 

 around my bed. 



My left hand was knocked to shatters that 

 is, I had two fingers blown off, and the rest of 

 my hand was terribly crippled. 



After some years I got the use of it again ; 

 but I was laid up seven months before I got 

 about. 



Dr. Smith, of Chertsey, the late much la- 

 mented Albert Smith's father, with whose 

 family I had always been on the most friendly 

 terms, saw me through this serious illness, 

 and carved the remnants of the fingers 

 off. 



