n you by this,
sir?"

"Latt me dowun, or I can't tell 'e," John answered with some difficulty.
So I let him come down, and I must confess that he had reason on his
side. "Plaise your worship"--John called me so, ever since I returned
from London, firmly believing that the King had made me a magistrate
at least; though I was to keep it secret--"us zeed as how your worship
were took with thinkin' of King's business, in the middle of the
whate-rigg: and so uz zed, 'Latt un coom to his zell, us had better zave
taime, by takking our dinner'; and here us be, praise your worship, and
hopps no offence with thick iron spoon full of vried taties."

I was glad enough to accept the ladle full of fried batatas, and to make
the best of things, which is generally done by letting men have their
own way. Therefore I managed to dine with them, although it was so
early.

For according to all that I can find, in a long life and a varied one,
twelve o'clock is the real time for a man to have his dinner. Then the
sun is at his noon, calling halt to look around, and then the plants and
leaves are turning, each with a little leisure time, before the work of
the afternoon. Then is the balance of east and west, and then the right
and left side of a man are in due proportion, and contribute fairly
with harmonious fluids. And the health of this mode of life, and its
reclaiming virtue are well set forth in our ancient rhyme,--

"Sunrise, breakfast; sun high, dinner;
Sundown, sup; makes a saint of a sinner."

Whish, the wheat falls! Whirl again; ye have had good dinners; give your
master and mistress plenty to supply another year. And in truth we did
reap well and fairly, through the whole of that afternoon, I not only
keeping lead, but keeping the men up to it. We got through a matter of
ten acres, ere the sun between the shocks broke his light on wheaten
plumes, then hung his red cloak on the clouds, and fell into grey
slumber.

Seeing this we wiped our sickles, and our breasts and foreheads, and
soon were on the homeward road, looking forward to good supper.

Of course all the reapers came at night to the harvest-supper, and
Parson Bowden to say the grace as well as to help to carve for us. And
some help was needed there, I can well assure you; for the reapers had
brave appetites, and most of their wives having babies were forced to
eat as a duty. Neither failed they of this duty; cut and come again was
the order of the evening,