THE GROUND GAME ACT 179 



nature of the grievance may be best exemplified by 

 relating a conversation which the writer had some 

 years ago with a south -country ' beater ' well known 

 to him. 



' Well, John, how do you like the new Ground 

 Game Act ? ' 



' Not at all, sur ; never get a robbut now, let be 

 howtle.' ' 



' Oh ! how's that then ? ' 



'Why, you see, sur, when Mister C. wur head- 

 keeper ^ if I'd a mind to a robbut of a Saturday for 

 my Sunday's dinner, why, I used to go up to hisn ^ and 

 ask for un, aye, and get un too. Now if I goes up to 

 the noo keeper and asks, he ses, " Let's see," he ses, 

 " who do you work for? " and I ses Varmer Rye, I ses. 

 Well, he ses, " Then you'd better go and ask he for un ; 

 for he have the right to kill un same as me." So I 

 goes to Varmer Rye and asks he, and what d'ye 

 think he ses ; why, he ses, " I aint got no robbuts for 

 no one ; I ca-a-nt get enough for mysel'." So I comes 

 away wi'out un. That's how it be, sur.' 



' Well, John, what do you do now, then ? ' 



' Do, sur ? Why ' (scratching his head) ' I'se forced 

 to help mysel', I s'pose.' 



' A provincialism ; ' let it be how it will. ' 

 ^ Before the passing of the Act. 

 ■" Meaning ' to his house.' 



