lancholy; 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