Page:Iron shroud, or, Italian revenge (3).pdf/22

22 part of the country on a visit, and being acquainted with the oddity of the ’squire’s whim, resolved to accept of the place, and, on application, was admitted into the family. Thomas was greatly surprised, after living there for two months, that nothing was allowed him for breakfast, dinner, or supper, but bread and cheese and small beer. Being heartly tired of this kind of fare, he applied to the cook: ‘ Cookee,’ says Thomas, 'is it the standing rule of this family to keep their servants on nothing hut bread and cheese ?’ ‘ What! ’ says the cook, ‘ do you grumble ?’ 'No, no, by no means, cookee,’ replied Thomas, being fearful of forfeiting the money. But recollecting his master’s park was stocked with fine deer, he took a musket and shot a fawn, skinned it, and brought it to the cook. ‘ Here cookee,’ said Thomas, ‘take and roast this fawn for me immediately ; for I have an acquaintance or two coming down from London, to pay me a visit.’ The cook seemed to object to it, having some meat to dress directly for her master; ‘ What,’ says Thomas, ‘ cookee, do you grumble ?’ ‘No,’ replied the cook ; so down to roast went the fawn. The appointed time arrived that the master ordered dinner, and no sign of any coming to his table occasioned him to ring the bell, to know the reason of it; the cook acquainted the ’squire with all Thomas’s proceedings, who in a great hurry bolted down stairs into the kitchen, where he found Thomas very busy in basting the fawn. ‘ How got you that fawn?’ says the ’squire. ‘Shot it,’ replied Thomas. ‘ Where ?’ says the ’squire. ' In your park,’ replied Thomas. ‘ By whose orders ?’ quoth the ’squire. ‘ Do you grumble ? says Thomas. ‘ No, Thomas,’ says the squire; and