Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1914-01-30
A Christmas
Privilege
And How It Origi-
mated
By ETHEL R. MORTON

young man, / wish to say to you on
entering upon your duties as my game.
keeper that, this being the Christmas
season, we may expect a great deal OF
poaching. / wish you to perform your
duties well armed and shoot any n
you find attempting to rob me OF my
birds. The people about here must be
taught the difference between my
property and theirs. This season there
will doubtless be more poaching than
usual because there have been hard
times and many persons will be with
out the means of buying their Christ
mas dinners
These instructions were given to a
stOutly built young man who had APP
piled to wealthy Lord Merivale for a
position on the latter's estate. His
lordship had tried several gamekeep-
ers of late, but had not found one who.
would carry out his orders. The rea-
son was that they sympathized with
the poachers. who were very poor and
seldom had meat of any kind on their
tables. At any rate, the earl had dis
charged one after another, and when
this young fellow, George Anderson,
appeared and applied for a position he
was Immediately employed to guard
the preserves.
Lord Merivale was the mennest mar
in England. Possessed of a large es-
tate stocked with more game than he
and his family could possibly consume,
he would neither sell the superhuity
nor give it away.
His lOrdshlp occupied bis domain I'M
der an uncertain title. There were
FIVE brothers of his generation. of
whom he was the youngest. or these
the oldest had died before coming Of
age; another had died, a man, but I'M
married, while the third, a soldier. had
been killed In battle. The fourth.
Ralph. being a younger son and oblig-
ed to shift for himself, had gone to
America to seek his fortune and had
never since been heard from. When
the father of these Ave brothers died
an effort was made to find Ralph, the
result of the investigation indicating
that be had been a cowboy and had
been killed in a fight with Indians on
"the plains" Charles Merivale on the
death Of his father assumed the title
and the estates. offering proofs of his
older brother Hugh's death, which
were accepted by the courts.
After giving his instructions to his
gamekeeper Lord Merivale went into
the house. Anderson was moving
away when he heard q voice from an
upper window:
Don't be too hard on the poachers,
gamekeeper. Suppose you had a fam
fly Of children and nothing to give
them for dinner on Christmas. Wouldn't
you bring down a pheasant or two II
they were at hand, though / know II
would be wrong?"
Anderson looked up TO see the sweet
face of a girl about seventeen year.
old looking down upon him. The case
ment which formed a frame to the
living portrait was itself framed by al
ivy many a old. The young mar
thought that he had never seen a more
beautiful picture. though the beauty t.
him consisted largely In the sympathy
beaming in every feature.
"Who are your he asked.
"Maude."
LADY Mnude. Lord Merivale's daugh
ter?"
YES"
The gamekeeper looked ut her will
an intent curiosity.
"You heard your fathers ordersT'
uWoa I hood thor, Dono 20 rafhai
hard on the poachers. He doesn't in
tend to be. but he is. OF course yol
have to do as he tells you, but 1 wisl
you wouldn't shoot anybody"
well, considering that Christmas
coming and you've asked me not to b
too hard on them, perhaps / may shu
my eyes once In awhile"
"You might fall asleep. you know"
$50 ! might"
. The window was lowered. and An
derson walked away, saying to him
self: II wonder how so les a ma
came TO have a daughter so kind,
disposed. Never fear. my Lady Maud'
There VIII be no shooting OF poacher
by me. But II by obeylng you lnstea
of the earl ] get myself discharged
He smiled without finishing.
II was still a week before christina
George Anderson went OF duty tina
: night with a fowling piece in hi
hands loaded with shot About
o'clock Lord Merivale heard the SCUM
: Of firearms and remarked, THAT is e
ther a poacher or my new gamekeeI
err" Hearing several more shots. b
remarked again. 'If 1t is the gam
keeper shooting l shall probably find
! number Of dead or wounded pOachel
! tomorrow. unless the wounded are alb.
to drag themselves away"
In the morning he called up Ande
son and asked him what vas the hrtn
during the night
what hrlng?" the keeper asked.
His lordshlp looked at him In su
prise.
"Why. man. l supposed 1t was yC
shooting poachers. sec that 1t Wi
. poachers killing my birds. Were yC
I asleepT'