POACHING VILLAGES. 



217 



A GOOD-FOR-NOTHING KEEPER. 



forming a petty sessional district one or two will become 

 notorious for this propensity. The bench never meet 

 without a case from them, either for actual poaching or 

 some cognate offence. The drinking, fighting, dishonesty, 

 low gambling, seem ceaseless — like breeding like — till the 

 place becomes a nest of rascality. Men hang about the 

 public-houses all day, betting on horses, loitering ; a 

 blight seems to fall upon them, and a bad repute clings 

 to the spot for years after the evil itself has been 

 eradicated. 



Q 



