ON A PARTRIDGE BEAT n 



lodged a petition that I would not fail to test the 

 resources of his cellar whenever I felt inclined. 

 Unfortunately, he stocked only beer, milk, and 

 spirits, liquids I love not ; so that, though I was 

 often thirsty, I had to forgo what was a pleasure 

 to him to give. I could not convince him that it 

 was possible for tastes to differ. He regarded it as 

 a solemn rite to drink with a guest, and he never 

 failed to say, ' 'Ere's luck !' 



A man of very uncertain temper, he was much 

 given to sudden sackings of his men, though he 

 never allowed the sun to go down upon his wrath. 

 The sacked one would come, as bidden, to the farm- 

 house, and say that he wanted to see the * ma-aster,' 

 who would appear, looking very much surprised to 

 see the man, and ask : 



* Well, So-and-so, what ^Q you want ?' 



' Please, I be come for my money the same as you 

 told I,' the man would answer, in an injured tone. 



' Then in the marnin' you'd better take and start 

 scarifyin' they vallers in Pink's Garner wi' old Vilet 

 and Jew'l.' (Aside : ' Draw 'Enry a drop o' beer.') 

 Good-night, 'Enry/ 



These are a fair sample of the words in which 

 he would complete a sacking. 



This 'Enry was the head-carter, and he had been 

 sacked and reinstated times without number. He 

 boasted that he could rely on having a ' smartish 

 set-to ' during the sowing of corn, haymaking, and 



