A June Festivity 



He put the whistle to his mouth and blew loud and 



shrill, 

 And four more robbers came tripping o'er the hill. 

 This nobleman, he shot one, and that right speedilee 

 And the beautiful damsel, she shot the other three." 



Such a heroic young woman must be rewarded, 

 and so we learned that the nobleman married 

 her 



" For the taking of her own part and firing off the 

 gun." 



It takes a good ten or twelve minutes to get 

 through this song, which is sung in a sort of 

 drawling recitative, and then Mr Hardness gets 

 up to respond. He tells us how many years he 

 has attended the Keepers' dinner with never a 

 break — a point which he emphasises and which 

 brings a round of applause — and how long he 

 has been head-keeper; and that he never has 

 shot a fox and that he never will shoot a fox. 

 Of course, a servant has to obey orders, but he 

 is thankful to say he has always lived under 

 a gentleman — given with great emphasis — and 

 again there is a hearty round of applause. He 

 hopes he shall be there many years to respond 

 to the toast, and to tell them there is a lot of 

 good foxes in his coverts. And he hopes his 

 friend the huntsman won't be too hard on 'em 

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