ng, disqualified. The judges were not acquainted with
the peculiarities of the breed--then a new one--and the reason for
disqualification, as we afterwards discovered, was "artificially
coloured." I believe exhibitors have been known to use coffee for this
purpose, and the judges, who had not the exhibitors' names before
them, fancied this to be an instance.

The children's exhibits of wild flower bouquets I always considered at
this and similar shows far the most interesting and beautiful among
the flowers; but, unfortunately, they very soon droop in a hot tent
and look rather unhappy.

Aldington Band was the outcome of a desire for musical expression on
the part of a few parishioners with some skill and experience in such
matters; it included performers on wind instruments and a big drum.
The Band was unfortunate at first in purchasing instruments of
differing pitch, as was discovered by my wife on attending a practice
at the request of the members. She pointed out the fault, and found an
instructor from Evesham to give them a course of lessons, so that with
a new set of instruments they soon improved. It was difficult, at
first, to find a suitable place for practice. A neighbour, a little
doubtful as to their attainments, suggested the railway arch in one of
my meadows as a nice airy spot under cover, but later expressed doubts
as to the safety of the trains running overhead on account of the
violence of the commotion beneath! This, of course, was mere chaff,
for they soon became so efficient that a large room was found for them
in the village, and eventually they were annually engaged to perform
the musical programme at the Badsey, Aldington, and Wickhamford Flower
Show. My gardener was the leading spirit of the Band, a great optimist
and the most willing man of any who ever reigned in my garden. There
was nothing he would not cheerfully undertake, and when we had a
difficulty in finding a sweep as required, he volunteered for the work
and became quite an adept, with the set of rods and brushes I bought
for the purpose.

Our postman, though not a villager, was quite an institution; he
walked a matter of ten miles a day from Evesham to Bretforton, taking
Aldington and Badsey on the way, and back at night. He filled up the
interval between the incoming and outgoing posts at Bretforton,
working at his trade as tailor. Entering our village each evening, he
announced his arrival by three blasts on his tin horn; he was