The Andrew County Republican. [volume] (Savannah, Mo.) 1871-1876, 1873-10-10
THE POACHER'S STORY.

H'sworse than gambling, sir, and it
beats drinking holler. Skittles is en-
trcing, but poaching is the captain.
Drop it, sir? could wipe off my score
at the Growing Cock easier than could
drop my love of sport ; and when says
that / says good deal, for the landlord
ssears shall die in his debt and 1 be-
heye him. If fellow takes to poach-
ing, he's done for as safe as houses. I've
been private sportsman now for twenty
year come Martinnias, and Tn bigger
old sawney than ever in the way of lik-
ing it. o, sartinly, some gives it up,
but not without their eyes fails 'em.
There's old Jacob Greene the black
smith, he's retired good bit now. He
do say it was because the Methody man
made him Uneasy in his mind and he's
deacon now, and has had ga call /" to
preach. But the truth is, the blinds
have got down, sir. He can't see; and
a good poacher must be able to hit
black cat at forty yards on dusky
night. Old Jacob Greene, sir, is like
Solomon now. Solomon, sir, when he
got SO old he couldn't enjoy himself the
same as he used, said it was all vanity
any ve1ation of spirit. No doubt it
Is vexing when fellow tries to carry ON
the old games, and can't.
How did I begin the game? Well, it
wur like this /: At eighteen I wur in
service with old master Thurlstone, at
the Dove Holes and Will Oakley wur
my fellow-servant. A fine strapping
fellow wur Will. Gone to Americay
now. He saved his money, sir, and I
spends mine that's the difference.
Howether, as we sat on the sheltry side
Of hedge, eating our bread and cheese,
we seed the plump pheasants strut SO
peert out of the woed that skirted the
field we wur narrowing; and so tame,
ike our Cochins. Will looked at 'em
admiring-like for a minute, and says
he:
"Them birds, Rocks that's my
name, sir, yon see-"them birds is like
many silly men; who won't take a good
thing when they has chance. There's
pans full of tommy for 'em in the wood,
and yet they come dibbling in our field.
wonder" says he, considering min
ute or two, "I wonder how they would
taste baked?"
l hadn't no notion, and 1 said so.
Viii Sat twirling his billy-cock slowly,
and looking at the pheasants.
Il was a-wondering why you and me
Hooks, should have to sit in the ditch
eating barley-bread and skim-dick,
whilst Squire Dormer eats pheasants
and lives like fighting-cock? Wild
animals, says VIII, appointing across
tne field to where the pheasants wur
ieeding, and a-stretching out his fingers
IKE the Methody man when he breaches
On the horse-block at the Growing
oock-"wild animals was sent for the
service Of men; they was give to every
Dody, not to the Squire. There's the
oook OF Genesis on that, and parson
eSnt deny it. though he'd like to.
There's another thing. too. If you
and me, Rocks, was to sneak round the
0ofher OF that wood, and floor a couple
:. 'nem birds with big hedge-stake, or
a We was to shoot 'em at nights, the
Justices would lecture MS like anythink,
saa : swear we was rogues and vagabones.
Out II Squire and his lot wur to make a
g Dag, them very justices wonld say,
"nat noble sportsmen what a love of
sp0rt Laws is rum things" says he,
a..'cratching Of his head, "and justices
~ no better than they should be-"
WEI, sir, I took up uncommon raw
ssn the Squire, and VIII soon per-
EAaed me TO pitch into the pheasants.
was mixed up with regular gang
poachers at Foosetown, and easily