The Worthington advance., 1878-10-24
THE HAUNTED FIELD.

in the gun-a set of rogues, rascals,
scamps, tramps, vagabonds and robbers.
Game preserving's dear work, sir; but
there, don't think I want to spoil your
dinner. How should you like me to
come into your yard, or field, or garden,
and shoot or suffocate, or wire your tru-
keys or pestcwlf"
''But, my dear SIR" l said, II don't
keep turkeys or peafowl."
"Or cocks, or hens, or pigeons, or
ducks" continued my uncle, not noticing
my remark.
'.Bat We don't keep anything of the
kind in London, my dear sir; the tiles
and leads are the unpzeserved grounds Of
the sparrows."
"Don't be fool, Dick" said my uncle,
pettishly. "You know we'll enough what
I mean. And l maintain, sir" he con-
tinued, growing very red-faced and pro-
tuberant as tu his eyes, "that every poach-
er is downright robber, and if were
Magistrate y"
"Wouldn't shoot them, would yon, sir7"
said Jenny, roguishly.
"Hold your tongue, you puss,' said my
uncle, shaking his list playfully at the
bright, sarcy.eyed maiden; "you're as
bad a. Eick
Oh, how ardently I wished she was in
one particular point of view.
MY uncle continued:
"Ever since I've been in the place the
scoundrels have gone on-thin-thin-
thin till it's enough to make one give
mp in despair. But won't; hang me, if
I do. l won't be beaten by the hypocrit-
ical, canting dogs. Now, look here; one
hound whines out that he did it tor hun
ger, but it won't do, that's tale; while,
fore George sir, if a man was really driv-
en- to that pitch, I'D give him the worth
of dozen Of my birds sooner than have
them stolen"
Well. really, one could not help con-
doing with the old gentleman, for he
was generous and open handed, and ever
since he had settled in Hereby and work
ed hard to get his estate into condition,
the poaching fraternity seemed to have
made dead set at him.
was down at Hareby to spend
Christmas, as had been my custom for
years, and on going out the day after my
arrival
"You see, sir" said Browsem, the
keeper, "there's no knowing where to take
him. I've tried all I knows, and, 'pon
my sivvy, slr, I don't know where to hev
him. 1t warn't him as gave me that
dressing gown, but it were some of his
set; for he keeps in the back grun', and
finds the powder and shot, and gifts rid o
ho lsvlo u - 20 I
hold on him, though"
"But do you watch well2" I said.
swatch, sir2 L. watched my hyes
outer NY head amust and the2 het
lodged me. Hyes ain I no good to him
Why. don't believe chap fitted uf
with telescopes would get round him
The guv'nor swears and goes on at me
and Bill, but rats the good o that whel
you're arter u fellow as would slip cute,
his skin if you he'd holt on him2 Now, IL
Just tell you how he served me last week
gets simple looking chap, stranger
to these parts, but regular deep one, tt
come over and keep his hye on this here
Mr.. Ruddle. So be hangs about the pub
lie, and drinks with first one and ther
with another, so that they thinks hin
a chap outer work: ana larst of all be get
friendly With Ruddie, and from one thins
to another gets on talking about ftzzan'
and .rts.
"'Ah,' says my chap, there's some
fine sp'nneys down our way. Go out o
q night there, and get a sackful of bird.
when you likes '.'Nothin' g.. to what ther,
is here,' says another.
shsWhv 90 uo INV .,ho,, Sxro>,o o,< oho
as is the oest hand at bit o night worl
as ever I did see. You should see hin
set sneer or ingle. he'd captivate an,
mortal thing. Say he wants few rabbuds
he'e Almost whistle 'em outer their holes
Fezzans'il run their heads into his ingles
like winkin'. While, as fur ares, HI
never sets wires for them.'
"'Why not2 says one on 'em.
"'Oh: says my chap, 'he goes and pick
EN- up outer the fields, just as ne likes.
"'Ha, ha, ha!' laughs lots on 'em there
all but Ruddle, and he didn't.
"'What dyer think o. that, ole man,
says one.
"'Nothin' at all,' says Ruddle, DO il
it mysen.'
"For you see, he was lit on, and
ready to lalk, while mostllngs be was a.
close as hegg.
"'Bet you gallon on it, says my chap
"'Done,' says Ruddle
"And they settles as my chap and Rud.
die should have walk mex day, Sunday
and settle it.
mex day then, these two goes out to-
gether; and just ketching sight on 'em, /
knowed something was up, but in course
didn't know my chap, and my chap
didn't know me; and I sits at home
smoking pipe, for l says to myself l
says-'Browsem,' I says. there's suthin
up and If you can only put salt on that
ere Riddles tail, you'll soon clear the
village You see, only wanted to bring
one home to him, and that would have
dore; tor he'd on'y got off two or three
times before by the skin of his teeth, and
while three or four of his tools was kick
ing their heels in jail, my gentlemen was
teathering his nest all right
$50 my chap and Ruddle goes al ono
very sociable, only every now and then
my chap ketches HIM a.cocking one OF
his gimlit eyes round at him, while he
looked as knowing and deep as an old
dog fox Bye-and-bye they gets to a
field, and old Ruddle tells nv chap to
stop by the hedge, and he did, while Rud-
die Poes looking about q bit slowly and
quietly, and last of all he mounts up on q
gate and stands W. bis hands over bis
hyee. Last Of all tie walks quietly right
out into the middle of the pasture, and
stoops down, picks up hare and holds
it kicking aud struggling by the ears.
when he hugs it up on his arm, strokin'
on it like you'd see little girl with a
kitten.
my chap feels ready to burst himself
with delight to see how old Ruddlc had
fallen into the trap. First-rate it was,
you know---taking hare in open day.
light. and in sight of a witness. So he
scuftles up to him. looking as innocent all
the time as babby, and he SAYS to him
he says
"'My, what fine uni never though,
~ there was another one in England
could hs' done that ere. You ere deep