so ON SURREY HILLS. 



their regard for their employers was very genuine. 

 One of them observed to me once, after a change 

 of owners had taken place, " I'd sooner hev the 

 old Squire give me one o' his jacketin's when summat 

 had riled him a bit : massy alive ! he could put it 

 out, — 'twas a real pleasure to hear him, he did rap 

 it out so. But Lor' bless ye ! all as ye'd got tu du 

 was to Stan' an' hear it all, an' say nuthin' ; fur when 

 he'd said it he'd walk away, and presently, mind 

 ye, he'd cum back an' he'd say, ' Tom, this ere 

 damned gout makes me say things as I didn't 

 ought to: here's half-a-crownd fur ye; ye get on 

 with yer work.' Hap' he'd had a word or two in- 

 doors that mornin' ; bless ye ! they has a rumpus, 

 in the shape o' a word or two, now an' again, same 

 as we has, and when they's had their say they likes 

 one another all the better fur it, that's my 'p/nion 

 on it. Most menjous high spirity folks wus the 

 old master and the missus ; but oh, warn't they 

 real good uns to all the likes o' we! I'd sooner 

 hev a jacketin' from th' old Squire three times a-day 

 than I'd hev a gold suvrin from this un. I puts up 

 with un till I gits summat else tu du ; when I gits 

 that I leaves he quick." 



