The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1878-05-28 00:00:00

A STUMP EXTRACTOR.

It is a tedious operation extracting stumps. Twenty
years ago half the able-bodied labourers in • wooded
parish found no better work in winter than stump
extracting, but at present such ill-rewarded labour is
reserved only for the old. In "Burke'. Grove," just
outside Beaconsfield, the sound of pickaxe, mallet, and
wedges attracted a stranger to the spot where a stump
was in the process of extraction. An old man of rare
physique aod energy was engaged upon the under-
ground portion of a beech tree, which the fellers had
sawn through at the surface during the previous
winter. Bit by bit and chip by chip the living
patriarch was destroying the root-hold of the dead
one, and, standing to a trench which he had dug
deep round the tree's foundation he plied the
mallet and pick with steady determination, and with-
out a pause.
"It is almost yours," remarked the stranger.
The old fellow stopped working, and leaned upon
the handle of his pickaxe.
"By to-morrow night," he " I shall hays the
old stump out and a new tree in Its place."
The method of proceeding is to obliterate the old
stamp, shovel in the earth, and then plant a young
tree; and thus the beechen forest is continued.
" Foto perpetua" might be a proper motto for a beech
wood of the Chilterns. John Hampden's woods
survive in their sucatasive crops of_yoang tress, and
some parts of the ancient Bernwood Forest still remain
as in the days of the Confessor, when Boar-stall Tower
was first built.

A very typical piece of business is that of stump
extraction and the replanting of a beech wood. And a
very typical kind of person is an old peasant leaning
on his pickaxe handle, vigorous at 77, mellowing for
Mother Earth, yet year still for one more gossip
before being shovelled in. eaunts living in obscure
places generally enjoy chatting with a stranger who
understands and sympathises in their occupations and
their thoughts, One magic word from such a person,
a look, a tone accompanying the commonest form of
speech, and they throw off their usual mask of stolid
Indifference, become as confidential as Sir Keneth in
the desert with his Arabian enemy, when his confidence
was won, and grow importunate for tidings from ths
world outside their usual boundary.
The upect of the old man of Burke's Grove, leaning
on his pickaxe handle, was highly interesting.
Polished, gowned, and wigged, and placed upon the
woolsack, he would have made a more than average
chancellor, so far as personal appearance is concerned,
his beauty being of the hooked type—prominent with
being wooden. He was among the noble-looking men
of humble position who may be seen in villages and
not utdrequently,among old s.-rvants —the grooms and
coachmen, for example, who are intrusted with the
care of young folks riding in Rotten Row, and
displaying In their faces the honour and reverence of
gentlemen.
The stump extractor, with his piercing eye and
energy., might have become, with better opportunities,
an M.P. for his county, and, stump extractor though
he be, a half unconscious knowledge of his powers
must abide in his heart. Such knowledge makes such
men radicals. He belongs probably to that mot
which a former rector of Ameraliam, complain=
the "poison" in his parish, described as the " I
hon. Con. ;" and in conversing with the stranger on
politics and social subjects. he exprered disgust st the
kilo salaries of the bishops. His knowledge on this
subject seemed of old date, and he did not
the great reductions that have been effected.r.cl3t:
was dropped on this point, and he at once enumerated
half-a-dozen rich livings in Bucks, which had not been
" 'duced so far as he was aware."

He showed the same prompt power of inuendo on
another topic. " Whole the Earl of Beitoonsfield?" he
asked; Sir. Du Pre is Lord of the Manor, but they
tell there'. an Earl now, of Beaconsfield, who's
he, sir ?"
The Earl's relations with Hughenden were men-
tioned ; he knew no such place a. Hughenden, but he
knew Hitchenden, which is the local name. The
womb' at Hitchenden were not so large as some, but
they grew good timber. He was told that Mr.
the owner of Hitchendent and the Earl in
question, were one and the same indlyidaaL
"Ah I" said the stump extractor, and I.is eye
showed • little extra light as he looked up from hie
entrenchment, " and what is her
"He is the Prime Minister," was the stranger's
answer.

"And whet besides r Tam the reply, and the eye
&me d apia "ha. he dm whng far the
Lod 1"

"He is a greet orator, saki the stranger, "like
Edmund Burke, from whom this trove eras named."
The old man knew the name of Edmund Burke;
he had been carried to be christened over his newly-
weds grave in the nave of Beaconsfield Church.
"Doss be pr ach r he asked.
"No, he is a tradesman. and speaks pincipally in
Parliament.'—" Ah I I see," he said. "Thank y. ,e
sfr. You've beard of John Hamtl,n. saws* ;
was a Parliament man too— red up at Greet
Hampden—fine heechwood country, sir. He was
killed in battle fighting to free the land, and buried
In the church there at night for fear of the other
party. He was • patriot, sir, and died for his
country."
. . . . . .

„-
Travel where you will you find among the labouring
claw this same otnviction th it mlmething requites to
be done, especially for "the land.” And ti e labourer
may be right; great movements are tutually beset on
popular conviction. People perceive that something
is 11110(10d ; and presently, or in due time, some sturdy
patriot—a true successor of John Hampden—leads the
country to the goal it seeks.—H. EVIKSHICD, in Agri-
cullural Claztie.