The democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1868-1874, 1874-06-22
TRRATEp MORSE THAN DOES.


A british Shepherds story as Told by
H. Himself. ~
Tho agricultural lockout in England
has directed the attention OF the British
press to the real condition of the Eng
iish agricultural laborer. A writer for
tho London Telegraph, who has been
interviewing shepherds and laborers in
the vicinity OF Bury ST. Edmunds, tells
Of his experience with o venerable
oorydon Of modern days. This old
man was assisted in minding flock Of
sheep by two little girls. In discussing
the matter Of the lockout, and the ae-
ton OF the master farmers, he became
much excited. t'''l e,l e.
:" Indeed the old shepherds indigna.
tion was SO great that IL was not until
he had filled and lit his pipe that he
felt himself equal to renewing the COLI
versation. Yes, said he, when We
had settled down again, "sixpence a
day is NJ that they two little gals get,
and whRtI get isthirteen shillings and
my little bits o, parkers, and for that /
has to- work Almost all the days that
God Almighty made. and very often oil
the hours too, I And it never o good
plan in these cases TO be continually
asking for explanations and meanings.
1 had an idea that pirkers > was mere
broad Suffolk for porkers, and that
when he spoke Of bits Of the same he
alluded to an occasional loin or leg that
fell TO his share. Still, Is he used the
word 'parkers he nodded compreheA-
siyely toward the animals at pasture,
and / had my doubts, Il suppose ]
remarked, tho parkers are regular
No moreregular than perkefsix always
are, he replied; twindfllls is never
regular (perquisites was what hemeantl.
What I gets Is sixpence q lamb for all
that rear, and / tell you, sir, in lamb
ing season its Just about day and night
WI me. II they die afore they come to
d certain age they are said TO die mine,
and I don't get tile sixpence. The
parkers / get that way Is supposedIto
make up wi what 'tother chaps gets at
haryestin'.' do you b,llong to the
Union 2" I asked him. u do, replied
the old fellow, straighteninE up mole
than I should haye thought possible,
aud Union I'll stick TO. Then You
think that farmers are in the wrong 2
I'm sure OF il, taid the old shepherd,
slowly ir I'd as soon turn out as step
in, and I speak my mind. They hay Q
less keer for their hands than for their
dogs that's for sartin.' Il think yo'l
10 n little too FIR there TOO fur z
repeated the shepherd in the tone OF o
man brought up sharp at sore point 1
'whoy, it's whatI say-a fact. You see
this here old dog, and he pointed to
one OF the two, o shaggy and ancient.
looking beast, but withal sleek and
comfortable seeming; well, sir, he's
no more good TO me than q cat nd be.
What / ought to hev for O flock Of over
ioive hundred is two good dogs, bnt 1
has to get along as best I may with one
and this old dummy. He's been good
'un, but he's past II, and amt got o
tooth in his head. But farmers TINT
koind.hearted that he won't hey him
killed. Hes a faithful old feller,' he
SEES, 'and ought 10 live easy in his old
age; SO do you, Joe, take him Glhng
wi you, and see as he has his meat
reglar.' SO tho gals and and the
tother dog does all the work, and this,
one cnrls himself up aud goes to sleep.
No, mister, I don't 60 too fur when I
say that the dogs Is treated better than
we, WY iHrifi tN fl4 NN