The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1901-12-24


er this bit of moralizing and knocked
the ashes out of his pipe.
"Try some of mine," | said, passing
him my pouch. 1 saw the ex-poachel
was inclined to be laxative, and as time
hung somewhat heavily on my hands il
Arcadia l settled myself down to listen.
How did l begin? Why, was always
at it, more or less, ever since l could re-
member AS boy bird snarin' was
my amusement = many's the whackin
/ got for that and truant playin' from
the schoolmaster. l was dead shot al
q runnin' cat at forty yards with flint
You can practice on them in daylight
Then in the eyenin's l used to knock over
rabbits with a stone. Lor', / could
knock 'em over tew,'' and he smiled as
he recalled his boyish prowess and
pranks.
81 remember we'll the first time | went
out with a gun. 1t was with old Temp
-'Methody Tompkins,' as we cal
him. He's livin' now and never got cop.
ped. 1t were like this: Him and me
wur in service with the old squire up at
Kinds farm. We was eatin' our bread
and cheese, and the plump pheasants was
struttin' about in and out of the wood
that was by the field we was harrowin'
l 'ad never tasted one, and Billy Temp
kins he says to me, Ever tasted one o
'emY No. l says. He larfs. That
was 'ow it 'appened.
""There's more there than squire car
eat says a voice inside like, and the Al
mighty he gave us the fowls of the ali
and the fishes of the sea. | 'ad never
4 FOR
it, but / might as well have my share
O t'other things.
Just at that time Billy says, 4 can
borrow a gum looks at him. Right
lad | says, for we understood each
other, and that night we went out
There was no moon, but we knew our
way. l war a bit narvous like, espe-
cially when some squirrels squirmed
away in front of us as we got through
the gap in the edge into the plantation
Curious things them little animals is
I've seen them many time brushin' the
dead leaves away with their tails and
then turnin' around to pick up the nuts
All, the way of the Almighty be wonder
full! Just think of him pervidin' the lit
tie beasts with brushes, as if they was
Christians.
'Well, that night l was bit skeered
and no mistake. Suddenly Billy lifts his
gun. Flashl bang! it goes. l thought
/ should "a died. In mint the whole
place was alive with wings fappin' in
all directions. l turns to bolt, but Billy
he collars hod of me and says. 'Doan't
be a fule hold the bag, and mind tew dc
exact as / says Well, you never card
such huproar; all the birds in the plan
tation wanted to know what was up
and come out O. their nests to see and
hear all about it. A big cock pheasant
screeched in my ear, and tiny birds
dashed about like mad without thinkin'
where they was goin'. 1t was a spree,
if you like.
eve bags two big birds. then we offs
'ard as we could lick, before the keeper
got on our track. But We was in our
cottages, snug in bed, bet, before they
'ad their eyes open.
Next mornin' we went to work as u.s.
ual and heard all about the scare of the
night before. Keepers and dogs was
out, and squire suspected some pitmen
from a colliery about five miles off We
listens, and we says nothin and agrees
that pitmen are wicked lot
"After that we got more boldlike and
fearless, and two birds did not content
us, for we soon saw there was money in
it. Yes, many a night | ave made a
weeks wages, and | put by tidy bit
each season. Then Jim Cowles Joined
US, but he spent all his takin's in drinkin'
at the Blue Pig. However, he put us up
to sendin' the birds to Lundun, where we
could get tiptop prices and no questions
asked.
Zone night we gets nabbed-Jim and
me. Billy didn't go with us. though |
'eard afterward he was suspected, but
what does the sly old dog do but goes
off to a prayer meetin' t'other side O the
Dene and proves an alibi. His gal was
in service at the hall. and she tells him as
how special keepers and a party at the
hall was goin' to hunt for the poachers,
so the willy old fox he goes to his meetin'
and let's US get copied without givin' us
words warnin' They suspected us,
you see There was struggle, and Jim
he lets off his gun, whether by accident
or not | cannot say, but he struggled
hard an got away. He had bit O.
money, and he makes a clean bolt of it to
Ameriky, where he is now. hears from
him occasionally. He was afraid he 'ad
shot one of the keepers. and it was years
before | 'ad a letter from him. But to
go on with my story.
""That's you, Trindon.' says the squire,
Yes, SIR | answers. The keeper had
old O me tight.
"'You shall answer for this the ouId
gentleman says.
81 says nuthin', for it would only "a
made matters wus.
"'Go home to you're wife, and We'll
deal with you tomorrow lie says.
"Off | goes. without being told twice,
and tumbles into bed, where lay
a-tremblin' The wife there" here he
nodded to his spouse. who sat knitting
1t the other side of the fireplace, "sht
says, What is itY and after time
tells her She bursts out cryin', and the
kids heard 'er, so they sets up a-howlin'
and we was that miserable that | cusseC
Jim and Bill and the rest of them.
Next mornin' l did not go to work
but Bessie she goes off to see t. parson
leavin' me a-bed. You see, she had beer
in service at the vicarage, so she felt a
home like in goin' up. Down comes par
son and lets out at me somethin cruel
pardin', he says. BY gum, the old parsoI
be a rum 'un. He got me at disad
vantage. bein' in bed, and he makes VI
for lost time, and my wife there, sh'
stands by and puts in word here ant
there Get them trousers on says thu
parson. and he chucks my breeches on
Then he stands over me while l get
my clothes on.
"Well, | walks up to the hall humble
like and axes to see the squire, and thu
footman he puts me in the gunroon
and tells me to wait. 'Parson as sen
me- | says.
cts quod for you,' says footman il
reply, GRIMM.
"Presently the old gentleman comes in
l salutes him very humble, but afore
could get a word in he let's out at me. HI
stormed and cussed somethin' shockin'
but / keeps my eye on i'm, and when HI
gets too near | edges away, all the tim'
a-axin' pardon, as the vicar had told me
When e cools down a bit l said as 'ov
/ 'ad been led astray, and for the future
/ was goin' to be respectable and go t
church, and did mean it at the time.
'Fhe old squire he swears and growl
a bit more, but in the end he agrees t
make it up. You see he was a passion
ate man, and when in a tantrum h'
would say and do anything.
"'You will let me drink your 'ealth
squire, before l goes l says, just t
show there's no i'll feelin' on my part
"But before you could say Jack Robin
son was off, for the old gent e rushe
at me like a mad bull, but when l go
into the massage got mixed. SO ! dive