New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-09-25

4 it to me. 1t is net your own and you have killed
Please. sir whimpered the little poacher, dad
allns tooled 'em like ihis'
Then he was thief too, said BERTHE.
lie was good to me-, said the small boy.
and then fairly burst out sobbing. He was good
nm to me. and he's dead year come Lady day,
the Group and there's nowt to eat TO home aud |
near SUSIE erwin eryin'. cryip', and so | gae TO
out this here, and says to myself. maybe pn cit
/ one of them birds i spinney, COS they make rare
broth and we had many ca 'em when dad was
Who was TowzerP
lie was our lurcher; keeper shot him; he'd
4yell tell on me, they'll clap IN prison like they
did dad, and it's birch rods they Civ yer, and
4 I do not know who owns thus property said
t perte In Is niue sedate way, so could not tell
tne owner and shoald not wish to do it if could
at all, and when they game-birls it is robbery
know as how they makes it So demurred the
poachers son. But dad said as how
No one makes it so,' said BERTHE with little
righteous anger It is So the birds are not yours,
There's no work for my dads SON said the little
pnacher half sadly half sullenly the keepers are
4 an agen us; tbs as much as mother and me and
Susie can do to git bit O bread
What work can you do p
! can make the gins, said the little sinner, touch
comes out O daylight; but all the forenoon Susie
was going Oft her head, want o summat eat
I'm sorry Tor Susie and you, said the little Earl
with sympathy. But indeed, indeed, nothing can
excuse a theft, or make God
The keepersp yelled the boy with scream like
q hare's, and he dashed head-foremost into the
bushes, casting on to Bertie's lap the gin and the
dead bird BERTHE was so surprised, that he sat
perfectly mute aud still the little boy had disap
peared rs fast as rabbit bolts at sight of a ferret
Two grim big men with dogs and guns burst
little Earl with no gentle hand You little black
guard you'll smart for this yelled the big man.
lreadmlll and birch rod. or I'm n Dutchman.'
Berthe was so surprised STILL that he was silent.
Then, with his little air of innocent majesty, he
sad SIMPLY; You are mistaken, dad not kill the
! Now, if BERTHE hal had his usual nicely of ap-
parel, or If the keeper had not been in Tuning
fury the latter would have easily that he had
accused and apprehended little gentleman. But
no one IN violent rage ever has much sense or
sight left to aid him. and Big George as this keeper
was called did notice that his dogs were smell
ing III friendly way at his prisoner; but only saw
that he had to do with a pale-faccd lad without
shoes and very untidy and dusty looking, who had
snares and a shared pheasant at his feet
Before Bcrtle had even seen HIM take bit of
cord out OF his pocket, he had tied the little Ear
hands behind him. picked up the pheasant and the
trap, and given some directions to his companion
the real cuiprlt was already quarter of lie off,
burr9wiug safely IN the earth Of an old fox killed
1 IN Marcia hidmg-place with which he was very
BERTHE meanwhile was quite silent. He was
thinking to himself: If tell them another boy did
1t. they Will go and look for him, and catch him
and put him IN prison and then ms mother and
Susie Will be SO miscrable-more miserable than
sever. i think | ought TO keep quiet. Jesus never
SAID anything when they buiieted Him.,
An You little galiows-bird, you'll get il this
time said the keeper. knotting the string tighter
about his wrists. and speaking as if he had had the
4 little Earl very often in such custody.
4 fou are very rude man. said BERTHE, with the
angry color in his cheeks; but Big George needed
HIM not. being engaged in swearing at one of his
dogsa young one who was tTottlDg after a rabbit.
4 know who this youngster is Bob he SAID 10
I his companion; he's the Radey shaver over from
I Blackgang.
2 Berthe wondered who the Radey shaver was that
4 He has the looks on him, said the other pru-
GENTLY.
Sir Henry's dining at Chigwel tonight and he'll
nave started aiore we get there, continued Big
4 George. Go you on through spinney far as
4 Edge Pool, and III take and lock this here Radley
mp TIL morning: Blast his impudence-a pheasant!
think OF the likes of II! 4 pheasant! III u had
!: been rabbit, 7 had been bad enough
y Then he shook his little captive vigorously
BERTHE did not say anything lie was not in trepi-
iation for himself hut he was in m agony of fear
4 lest the boy Dan should he found in the spinnev'
! March along afore me- said Big George with
much savageness. And If you tries TO bolt III
blow your brains out and nail you to a barn-dool
4 The little Earl locked at him with eyes of scorn
d and horror
q How dare you touch Athcnc's Bird
p How dare what YOU little saucv blackguard ?
u thundered Big George and fetched HIM a great box
! on the ears which made Bertc stagger'
You are very bad man. he said breath
] aud so you cruel-that is very mean indeed
Radcy. said the Keeper wralhfaiy: but You'll
pipe another tune when you feel the birch and
Berthe set his teeth tight to keep his words in; he
walked on mute.
You've stole some little gemirans toys as we'll as
my pheasant, said Big George, surveying him.
Why didn't You steal pair o boots when you was
! about 1T
i will not say anything to this bad man. he
thought, or else he Will find out that it not L.
slyery light above the and the downs the
pale long twilight of an English day had come upon
the earth
4 At last they came in sight of the keepers cottage
standing on the edge of the preServes-a matched
I and gabled little building with n hight glimmerIng
IN its lattice window.
woman and some children ran ont.
Lord ha' mcrcyl George cried tho wife.
"A Radey boy growIcd George; .one of the
cussed Radley boys at last-and "A pheasant shared
You don't mean itp cried his wife, and the small
chil.ren yelled and jumped 'Wharn be done with
him dadr cried the eldest of them.
I'll put him in fowhousc tonight said Big
George, and up he'll go atore Sir Henry fust thing
tomorrow Clear oil, young uns and let me run
him in
had nothing to do with killing the bird, he
said in firm though faint voice. You quite
mistake. am Lord Avillion.'
4 George, enraged by what he termed the 'darned
cheek Of a Radley boy; and without more ado he
into the fowlhousc the door of which was held
open eagerly by his eldest girl.
That's better nor you'i sleep TO morrow night
SAID Big George. he tumbled BERTHE on 10 a truss
of straw that lay there, when he went out himself
slammed the door, and both locked and barred 1t
Oh the outside.
Berthe fell back on thu straw, sobbng bitterly
his feet were cut and bleeding his Whole body
ached Ike one great bruise, and he was sick and
FAINT with hunger. If the world is as difficult as
this to live in,' he thought, how over do some
people manage TO live almost hundred wears in
and To his eightyear old little soul the prospect
OF long LIE seemed SO horrible that he sobbed
again at tho very thought of it, Ii was quite dark
IN the fowi;house the rusting and futterng of the