TIPS AND TIPPERS 269 
shooting, are the heaviest gilders of the keeper’s 
palm. They shoot to enjoy themselves, and to 
make other people happy. Perhaps they do not 
care to weight themselves with cumbersome silver 
coins, and find it less trouble to carry gold pieces. 
Then there are those dear old gentlemen of the 
old school. They do not shoot every day of the 
week, and, not being so active or so keen of vision 
as they were, perhaps do not pile up the bag as 
fast as others. Yet they give regularly a tip of 
half a sovereign. Their fathers ever gave it, why 
should not they? And the keeper murmurs ap- 
provingly, ‘So be it.’ The parson never forgets 
the keeper, and his cheery words are as welcome 
as his modest ‘five bob.’ The worst sportsman 
from the tipping point of view is the ordinary 
country resident who is fairly well lined with this 
world’s goods. He gets so much shooting—being 
on the spot and always available as a stop-gap— 
that he becomes surfeited. He shoots only when 
he has nothing else to do. From him the keeper 
is lucky to get an occasional half-crown. 
He is a fortunate keeper who ‘picks up’ a 
sovereign at the close of an ordinary day’s shooting. 
Tip totals for the day vary, like offertories; they 
depend on who is there. So far as I can remember, 
I can count on the fingers of one hand the occasions 
on which I received a sovereign from one shooter, 
for one day only. A keeper told me he made his 
