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

under table and stays there awhile He
rushes past mad blind like. A minute
! afterwards l ears the squire's lady
a-laughin', and presently he sings out
'Trindon, go round to the servants hall
and get your beer
THAT was the first time i was nab
bed" added the old man.
"You still went on with your poach-
ing, then?" l remarked.
! Eyes, sir. You cannot break it off. 1t
was ten years afore | was caught again.
The old squire was just dead-God rest
his soull-and new squire gets another
keeper, some man as 'ad been in the for
eign wars with him as his servant. Bless
your soul, he knew nothin' about birds,
but he did about gun, by gum he did.
"One night l was out with two others.
| We was busy with the net, when sudden
Iy there was bang, and felt somethin'
smartin' in my leg. What's upY l says.
It's the new keeper, that's what it is
says one of my mates. Presently bang
came the gun again from another direc
ton, and my mates sings out that they
are hit. We all drops down on the grass
scared and waits, but there was nothin'
more. 1t was a business gettin' home
that night. l could scarcely walk for
the pain in my leg. This shootin' was
new dodge and not fair at all, but the
man didn't know his work, and he had
been accustomed to go out when he liked
and shoot Rooshins.
Next day we 'ad to go to the doctors
to get the shot corns taken out of us. |
had three in my leg-there are some
there yet-and it was as black as that
kettle, and the doctor took them out of
my mates in handfuls.
"The new keeper he be cute 'un. He
goes round to the surgery and gets all
our names, and the policeman serves us
with summons, so this time we appears
before the bench of county magistrates.
Seem that there was no other convic-
tons against US, we got off with seven
days each, for which we thanked the
worships.
GAS soon as was out young squire
and parson comes round to see me, and
both Of them sat and laughed as / told
them all about it, and l tells them about
the time when l hid under the table from
the old gentleman, and they laughs more.
Didn't you carry my father to the
church? said young Captain Rowley-
the squire's name was Rowley Eden.
Eyes says. God bless him, he wur
SOOu uHy your 1dIuGI, Dul ne WOulu
"a killed me that day in the gunroom.
Lucky | wur too quick for 'un. He had
a 'ot temper, but good heart
1.-THE young man he sits quiet a time
and then drops a tear, and the parson
and he looks out of the winder. | did
bit of a cry, myself. too, for the old
master was as good as gold, takin' i'm
all round.
AL ~
that was given to each of the pallbear
ers,' said the young squire, swingin'
round suddenly and facin' me. Why
did you do that? Here wish you to
have it, and he puts down golden SOW
ereign on that table.
"'No offense, sir, nor disrespect,' |
says. He wur good squire; never
better lived. l was proud to do him the
last sad duty, sir, and as we carried him
to his last restin place would ha given
good bit more'n that (meanin the SOW
ereign) just to 'a'telled him so before he
died. So just contented myself wi say
in, Good old master, good old squire
only in a whisper like, with my cheek
against the coffin, thinkin' that his spirit
might somehow hear
1.-THE young squire, he says softly and
kindly, You don't bear me any ill will for
sending you to jailP
No, sir; I may be a poacher but |
am not ungrateful to the old stock up at
the hall, SIR l says. 'Many's the bird
1 have 'ad, which cost your father a
pretty penny to rear, and seven days was
cheap for all done in my time.
Next day the young master comes
round, and offers me the post Of under
keeper, and l held that until my eyes
failed me, but that wur not until wur
near seventy. And now, why, l wants
for nowt and often the young squire
looks in, and sometimes he brings gentle
men from the hall just to have a crack,
and sometimes they drops in. just as you
"a done. The old woman and myself are
just waitin' now until the Almighty has
time to attend to us. Old squire's gone
and his lady, the vicar and his. and
often says to the missis our turn will
soon be comm round. Poachin' is the
worst thing / have to answer for, and as
both of us shared in the money we shall
have to hear what will be said up there
about it, eh, lass?" And the wife nodded
her assent.-Golden Penny.