Sons of the Soil

For subject it has the continual animosity always existent between the gamekeeper of a large estate and the bad characters of the neighborhood. The Tonsards, who keep a disreputable tavern, are among the worst of this class, and are consequently at bitter enmity with the keeper, in spite of the fact that his son and their daughter are lovers. One day the forester gets news that they have again been stealing green wood from the estate. He confronts them in their tavern and desires them to open a bundle of dry [wood] in which the green wood has been concealed. To avoid discovery the wife casts a pan of ashes in his face, and he is hustled from the door, blind and helpless with dust. The daughter of the Tonsards, however, leads the keeper home, where his injuries are attended to. When he is better, he turns to revile her in the bitterness of his heart against her parents, but his son comes forward in her defense and the keeper is pacified towards the girl.