LEWES AND ITS COUNTRY 93 



families of that faith — do you call it a faith? 

 Whatever it is, I can say, as mixing many years 

 with Quakers, it turns out real good sorts when 

 you know them, and I knew many. One great 

 financial magnate used to learn to play the 

 concertina in fear and trembling in one of our 

 top-storey bedrooms ; and a son of his, though 

 wild and a runner-away to sea, declined to cut 

 the connection. Also he declined to give up 

 chewing tobacco while nautically home for the 

 holidays, and carried that habit and great dis- 

 may into the meeting-house, where he was an 

 assiduous attendant, frequently moved to let off 

 strange words. Quakers by the score I have 

 had to thank for many pleasant days, so I hope 

 you will excuse my excursing a little on their 

 account. 



A great ''character" was John Home (in his 

 county ''character" means little more than a 

 person of strong hobby, who treats convention- 

 ality lightly ; it carries no disrespect), and he 

 was widely known. I am not surprised therefore 

 that Refereaders who recollected the kindly old 

 man, some earlier than I, should write me regard- 

 ing him and his ways, particularly his partiality 

 for sticks, the cutting them and seasoning. Now, 

 when I find anybody interested in this line of 

 collecting I often want to foregather with him 

 or them and discuss the ethics of the stick 

 business — mostly illegal, viewed strictly. Acts 

 such as taking short cuts where you do no 

 damage to crops or disturb game, or cutting a 

 promising brier or thorn walking-stick of high 

 value in your eyes, though not at all likely to 

 be turned to account by its proprietor except for 

 stopping a gap in a hedge, are unlawful, I believe. 



