226 The Hunting Grounds 



It was a pleasure to see him dashing across country 

 after the grey boar, or hear his merry laugh, pithy 

 saying and jolly song, in the evening, round the camp- 

 fire when the sports of the day were over. 'A change 

 came o'er the spirit of my dream,' Geordie got 

 4 touched,' was led to the altar, 'tied up;' and I 

 met him again after a lapse of years but oh ! how 

 changed ! The jovial sunburnt face had become long ; 

 his laughing eyes, that once beamed with mirth, shot 

 out melancholy glances; the formerly strong arm 

 had become flabby; and the legs no better than 

 broom-sticks! He received me kindly as ever, but 

 looked, I must own, rather sheepish and glum. After 

 some conversation* in which I brought ' old times ' 

 to his recollection, he brightened up a little, his old 

 smile returned, and for a moment he looked some- 

 what like himself again. It was but a temporary 

 glimmer, for a shrill harsh voice in an adjoining 

 chamber, followed by a smart slap and a lengthened 

 squall, reminded him of his wretched situation ; and 

 as I rose to avoid meeting his (can I say) better half, 

 who was evidently getting herself up for the occasion, 

 he pressed my hand in his old affectionate manner, 



muttering with a deeply-drawn sigh, *S , my 



dear fellow, you see the unfortunate mistake I made 

 and what it has brought me to ; take warning, steer 

 clear of wedlock, and you'll be a happy man/ ' I'll 

 be if I don't,' I replied, feeling at the same 



