stuff, general?" said Master Simon;
"there's no talking with one of these chaps when he once gets that
confounded Cobbett in his head."

"S'blood, sir!" said the general, wiping his forehead, "such fellows
ought all to be transported!"

In the latter part of the day the ladies from the Hall paid a visit to
the green. The fair Julia made her appearance, leaning on her lover's
arm, and looking extremely pale and interesting. As she is a great
favourite in the village, where she has been known from childhood, and
as her late accident had been much talked about, the sight of her caused
very manifest delight, and some of the old women of the village blessed
her sweet face as she passed.

While they were walking about, I noticed the schoolmaster in earnest
conversation with the young girl that represented the Queen of May,
evidently endeavouring to spirit her up to some formidable undertaking.
At length, as the party from the Hall approached her bower, she came
forth, faltering at every step, until she reached the spot where the
fair Julia stood between her lover and Lady Lillycraft. The little Queen
then took the chaplet of flowers from her head, and attempted to put it
on that of the bride elect; but the confusion of both was so great, that
the wreath would have fallen to the ground had not the officer caught
it, and, laughing, placed it upon the blushing brows of his mistress.
There was something charming in the very embarrassment of these two
young creatures, both so beautiful, yet so different in their kinds of
beauty. Master Simon told me, afterwards, that the Queen of May was to
have spoken a few verses which the schoolmaster had written for her; but
that she had neither wit to understand, nor memory to recollect them.
"Besides," added he, "between you and I, she murders the king's English
abominably; so she has acted the part of a wise woman in holding her
tongue, and trusting to her pretty face."

[Illustration: May Queen and Bride-Elect]

Among the other characters from the Hall was Mrs. Hannah, my Lady
Lillycraft's gentlewoman: to my surprise she was escorted by old Christy
the huntsman, and followed by his ghost of a greyhound; but I find they
are very old acquaintances, being drawn together from some sympathy of
disposition. Mrs. Hannah moved about with starched dignity among the
rustics, who drew back from her with more awe than they did from her
mistress. Her mouth seemed shut as with a clasp; excepting th