Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1873-10-11

1t was terrible dark, even Tor country
! fellows that get used to it. VIII led me
over the fields to a wood right in front
of SGuire's house. They called it the
Belt, sir, because it ran all round the
home park A nice wood it WIZ. L had
nested in it when n lad There wur
dozens of squirrels in it. Oncommon
cute animals they be, sir-brushes away
the dry beech leaves with their tails,
and then turns 'em round to pick up the
nuts. Being so near Squire's house [
felt afraid, and said SO. "Never you
mind" says Will " the keepers is away
up to the Asps spinneys, aud were as
safe here as if we was in heaven, because
they don't expect us. Ha'n't you heard
parson say how we looks too high for
things close by"
Will sniggered quietly to himself at
the thought of the parson. / felt very
hunked, for the big hound at the stables
yelped as if he knew we was there. The
river washed over the ford with dismal
sound. The toads on lake croaked aw-
full. The night wind sounded sad
among the trees. The great bell at the
hall rung for prayers. The church
clock struck eleven. Gradually the
lights went out one by one. | was sorry
to see the last one go.
Look up there, Rocks, says Will,
leading me underneath some trees and
pointing upwards. | looked as hard as
l could. But, lor bless you, it was too
dark to see even white smock-frock.
"Oh, it doesn't NATTER says Will.
You keep quiet, hold the bag, and 60
as 1 tell you, and no mistake" J." Will
put the gun to his shoulder and fired
twice. In minute the quiet wood was
in an uproar. Thousands of wings
tapped. Cock pheasants screeched with
fright, and the hens cried chorus.
Blackbirds and thrushes wanted to
know what was up and all the tiny
birds twittered like mad. l was scared
almost to death by a pheasant whirring
close by my ear-hole, and was Just bolt
ing only Will collared me. "Where
are you off to, you fool q he growled,
a-laughing to himself like. "Give me
the bag l picked it up, for | had
dropped it in my fright. Will shoves
two birds in it, and strides away to the
elpp of the wood
1t wur sight, sir, to see him slash off
across the fields and clear the hedges. |
followed. Right away from the hall we
went, towards wood two miles off. AS
we run, we heard gates slam, and the
hound had stopped barking; so we
knew that the Squire's folks were out,
and that the dog wur loosed. When we
got to the other wood we wur dead-beat.
l wanted to go home, but Will wur Ill
high spirits, and swore the game wur
only begun, and that he would have
more birds. The devil wiz in him, sir,
and it would ha' bin a bad night for
Tom Jarvis, the keeper, if he had come
across us tllcu. wen, Sli, aItcI We Hdtt
rested and got wind, VIII did the same
trick again, and brought down two
more pheasant. Then we run for home
like hares, and got IL safe without see
ing anybody.
We played this game pretty often, and
the village got into a regular hubbub.
The Squire swore there were some of
tie cunningest thieves about the estate
that ever was, and thought we was a
gang that plotted to do business on
different parts of the preserves. The
first night we went out old Jacob, the
smith, WIZ suspected but the old man
knew we wur out, and had been cute
enough to go on that very night to
prayer-meeting at Il chapel four miles
away, along with one of the Squire's
woodmen, who had also taken a pious
turn, and they two easily cleared one
another. But we got nabbed at last,
sir; for one night, when we come home
with the game, who did we find waiting
for us in the farmyard but Tom Jarvis,
the keeper, and his man. They sus-
pected us, you see, and, as they couldn't
catch us, they played us that deep
trick. They threatened to pull us up
the next day and after they went, Will
Oakley got his little bit of money to-
gether, and ran off to the coal-pits. l
had no money, and couldn't go.
How did get out of it, sir? Well,
master puisuaded me to go to the hall
to AK Squire's pardon. Master went
and told how Will was a bad lad, and
had led me on, and that I wouldn't do it
again. Squire stormed and swore shock
ingly, but he agreed to make it mp.
When it was all over, says I to him,
"We ought to have drop of drink
about this job, Sir, seein' as how it's all
settled and mouthful of bread and
cheese wouldn't be amiss either"
"Why, you impudent scamp" says
he, If you amt off sharp I'll have you
put in the stocks yet" He went away
and told his lady, for 1 heard her a.
laughing hearty, and she come out into
the passage, and hollered out to the
footman, "Slater, says she, "give that
man nc m11nb nc ba no,, o,+ ,,,1 ,l,;,,l-