Comical People | Page 5

long it will
be before my aunt invites me to London again. Tom-tit brings me
letters from the post-boy much oftener than before, and were it not for
them, I do not think I could bear my existence.

* * * * *
This is the substance of some letters I have lately received from my
dear friend, Julia Linnet. She is a warm-hearted little thing, easily led
away by her enthusiasm. At first, I was afraid she would pine away
with melancholy; but all my uneasiness was dispelled a few mornings
since, when a lace-bordered envelope reached me, enclosing two cards
tied together with silver-cord, on one of which was written,--
[Illustration: Mr. Drinkwater Goldfinch Furze Park]
[Illustration: THE GREAT MR. GRANDBOY, AND THE HON. MRS.
DELMACARE.]
[Illustration: LADY ZEBU AND ADMIRAL MACAW.]
[Illustration: THE POACHER.]

THE LORD OF THE MANOR.
SIR VANE PEACOCK was the owner of large estates in Cumberland,
and a great game preserver. His tenantry were bound to protect all the
hares, partridges, and pheasants that fed on their young corn; and, in
return, Sir Vane entertained them once a-year with a dinner of roast
mutton and potatoes, when good luck enabled them to bring their rents
on Old Michaelmas-day. A great personage was Sir Vane Peacock. He
was the possessor of two thousand acres of the richest arable land in the
county, besides his own park and grounds, of a hundred and twenty
acres, well covered with fine trees. Sir Vane would have been happy
but for one circumstance: he could not prevent the village poachers
from destroying his game. It was in vain that he employed keepers and
offered rewards for every depredator they apprehended or killed; year
after year rolled by, and still Sir Vane's great struggle in life was to
preserve his partridges. Sir Vane was a county magistrate, and it may
be imagined how summarily he dealt with all offenders brought before
him. In one year, two young fellows, named Martin and Weesel, both
belonging to the village, were shot by his keepers, Martin in the leg and

Weesel in the back, because they were found near a rabbit-warren at a
suspicious hour in the evening; and an old fellow, whom they called
Horny Owl, was so severely beaten on the head by one of the Baronet's
men, that he only lived two days afterwards. Old Horny was concealed
in the trunk of a hollow oak, and was found there with no less than
three young partridges in his possession, which he pleaded he was
about to take home for his little ones' supper. But Sir Vane could never
catch the rascals who did the most mischief: one was a notorious
character, known as Bill Kite; the others a family of brothers, whose
name was Lurcher. These were too old at the sport, and too cunning, to
let the keepers get near them, and it is believed they made a very
excellent living out of Sir Vane's game-preserves.
Among the Baronet's tenantry was a Mr. Pointer, a thoroughly
well-bred individual, who lived at a farm close by the park, and who
generally accompanied Sir Vane on his shooting-excursions. Mr.
Pointer had but one son, named Carlo, with whose training he had
taken much pains, and at an early age Carlo promised soon to know as
much about field matters as his worthy father. But Carlo had one
failing which his parent little dreamed of. On one occasion, when on a
visit to a neighbouring farm, the youth had tasted a hare, and ever
afterwards he longed to regale himself again on such delightful food.
One unlucky morning Carlo was rambling about his father's farm with
a gun on his arm, merely to shoot the rooks and frighten away the
sparrows, when a hare jumped out of her form and ran away straight
before him. The opportunity was too tempting. Bang! went Carlo's gun,
and poor pussy tumbled head over heels. Carlo looked round him with
anxious glances, and fancying the coast was clear, took up his prize and
put it in his pocket; but just as he was vaulting over a gate, Towser, the
head-keeper at the park, emerged from behind the hedge, and, without a
word, took Carlo's gun from his arm and the hare from his pocket.
Carlo was no match for Towser, so he allowed himself to be led before
the great Sir Vane without opposition. Towser related the whole of
Carlo's terrible offence, which he had witnessed from behind the fence,
and the indignant Sir Vane demanded the criminal's reply. Carlo
assumed a bold and careless air; told the Baronet that he wished to have
the hare for his dinner, and that he could see no harm in killing animals

that were feeding on his father's corn. This