460 THE KEEPERS BOOK 



more general. It would mean very little extra ex- 

 penditure to the host, and it would save him many an 

 unpleasant upsetting in his household, by servants 

 choosing the most inconvenient time to give notice. 

 He would thus get better service, and retain a more 

 complete control ; in any case, they would wish to be 

 on their best behaviour and remain on till the annual 

 distribution. Ladies should be exempt from tipping 

 men-servants in any circumstances, and head-keepers 

 only should be tipped ; under-keepers wait their pro- 

 motion before they are recognised. In other houses 

 it is the custom to place a money-box marked 

 " Keeper's Fund " in the gun-room. This is advo- 

 cated by Lord Walsingham, and is an excellent 

 plan. 



It is not possible to suggest any absolute scale of 

 tips that might be regarded as a reasonable average. 

 Of course if a man be very poor his tip must be very 

 small, and in certain cases it should not be given at 

 all. For instance, where a keeper has by bungling and 

 incapacity shown poor sport, not only has he put the 

 guests to considerable trouble in coming with the inten- 

 tion of shooting, and spending a pleasant day, while it 

 has only been one of annoyance, but he has heaped 

 on his master a considerable indignity, and made him 

 ashamed of his shoot, as well as his servants. Many 

 masters on such an occasion intimate to their guests 

 there will be no tips. For a week's stay at a house 

 where there is, say, three days' shooting over dogs, an 



