The Washington herald., 1911-08-13

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enough for the great blessing they
enjoy in being able to search TOR
oyavarious treasures without much risk OF be-
ing molested by game keepers. Their British
cousins are less fortunate. The game-keeper
Is the great bane, the almost insupportable
grievance, Of the English bird-nesting boys
life. Every bone in my body aches today as
think of the usage keeper gave to me
Though an Irish boy, was pupil at q
boarding-schooi near the village Of Brcwood,
in Stafordsh;re, England. ! was an ardent
nearly every kind Of egg that is to be found
hidden away in the green lanes and hedge
rows in the central counties of England.
In my collection were specimens that GER
tainly should not have been there. No boy
who entertained q wholesome respect for the
game laws would have cared to rifle the nests
Of pheasants and partridges as l had done.
will only say, in extenuation of my offense,
that | never carried away all the eggs of q
bird that laid numerously. .
it was well founded-that the feathered race
could not count; but, to make assurance
dcubly sure, l once replaced with small
round pebbles three eggs taken from a swal-
lows nest.
Six weeks later, found the wretched, un-
reasoning bird still trying to hatch out those
cold stones. Two young birds, from eggs
that had not touched were well hedged
and nearly ready to fly away. l took the
the theory Of birds ignorance of accounts
a. salve for my conscience.
But neither i nor any other boy in the
school could boast of a golden-crested grebe's
eggs, though we all knew where couple Of
these royal birds had built great nest. It
was fifty yards from the shore on Chillington
Lake, the property of Squire Gifford-one OF
the largest land-holders in Staffordshire-au
Of whose property was strictly preserved;
for, like many English country gentlemen,
the old squire looked upon the slaughter of
game out of season, in an unsportsmanlike
manner, OF by unauthorized persons, as
crime that nobody who had the interests OF
his country at heart could afford to -condone.
1t Is perhaps needless to say that | did not
share his sentiments, and one Saturday after
noon l started for Chillington Lake, three
miles away, determined to storm and capture
that grebe's nest single-handed, because l
could not persuade any of my schoolmates to
accompany me.
was not long covering the distance, and
il was still early when l was creeping eau
tiously along the reedy shore OF the lake,
looking eagerly over the water, where l knew
the object OF my search was floating far out
among the rushes, but not forgetting to keep
a yigilant eye on the thick wood. or "cover,"
a few yards away from me; for there knew,
and not on the water side, lay the chief dan
ger that threatened me.
Game of various kinds abounded there, and
the dreaded keeper might be lurking behind
any tree or bush. Well 1 was aware that
had scant mercy to expect from either him
or his master il l was caught poaching in
those preserves. Caution was very necessary,
and exercised great deal of it, but not
quite enough
l had just caught sight of the nest, and in
another moment / should have commenced
to take off my. clothes, when the sudden
crashing OF bouehs close to me in the cover
literally "made my young blood run cold ;"
Before could turn, great heavy hand was
laid on my shoulder. and very tall man
to my appalled, vision he seemed to be eight