ROUGH SHOOTING 299 



and talked of old times and old things that had 

 happened years ago, passed never to return 

 again. 



'"So your eldest boy is sixteen/ he remarked, 

 after one of the pauses. ' Well, you must buy this 

 place, Frederick, it is as cheap as dirt, and will pay 

 you welL I will make your lads sportsmen — but 

 I suppose you have done that yourself. I want 

 companions now — no female ones,' he added, laugh- 

 ingly, ' your wife excepted ; but some one to fish 

 and shoot with me — the partridge-shooting is 

 capital.' 



" I was delighted with all I saw the next day ; 

 the place was lovely, and I was induced to spend a 

 week with him. At the end of that time I was the 

 purchaser of the property, and left to bring down 

 my family and all my belongings. 



" I have never regretted the step ; though far 

 away from the busy hum of the world, we are as 

 happy as may be. Horace and I fish and shoot 

 away ; there is a calm quietness which I love. I, 

 like my friend, have had some ups and downs in 

 life, but the memory of them, in my country retreat, 

 is gradually ' fading away.' " 



It is all very well for men who have long purses 

 and large possessions to take expensive shootings ; 

 they can afford it and why should they not ? 



