othing of innumerable smaller dealers and retail butchers,
good for a score or two apiece. What I may call the parochial horizon
is well illustrated, too, by the announcement of a domestic economist:
"Farmer Jones lost two calves last week; I reckon we shall have beef a
lot dearer." And again by the recommendation of a shrewd and ancient
husbandman of my acquaintance that it was desirable for any young
farmer to get away from home and visit the county town sometimes, at
any rate on market days, and attend the "ordinary" dinner, even if it
cost him a few shillings--"for there," he added, "you med stick and
stick and stick at home until you knows nothin' at all." Shakespeare
puts the matter more tersely, if less forcibly, "Home-keeping youth
have ever homely wits." I cannot forbear, too, the temptation to
recall _Punch's_ picture at the time of King George's coronation. The
scene depicted two rustics gossiping at the parish pump, as to the
forthcoming village festivities, and the squire's carriage with the
squire and his family, followed by the luggage cart, on their way to
the railway station:

_First Rustic_. Where be them folks a-goin' to; I wonder?

_Second Rustic_. Off to Lunnon, I reckon, but they'll be back for the
Cor-o-nation.

Soon after the reopening of the church I overtook Bell as we were
returning from Sunday morning service. It was a dark day, and the
pulpit, having been moved from the south to the north side of the
nave--farther from the windows--the clerk lighted the desk candles
before the Vicar began his sermon. I asked Bell how he liked the
service, referring to the new choir and music; he hesitated, not
wanting, as I was the Vicar's churchwarden, to appear critical, but
being too conscientious to disguise his feelings. I could see that he
was troubled, and asked what was the matter. Then it came out; it was
"them candles!" which he took to be part of the ritual, and he added,
"But you ain't a-goin' to make a Papist of me!"

Bell was proof against attempted bribery, and often came chuckling to
me over his refusals of dishonest proposals. A man from whom I used to
buy large quantities of hop-poles required some withy "bonds" for
tying faggots; they are sold at a price per bundle of 100, and the
applicant suggested that 120 should be placed in each bundle. Bell was
to receive a recognition for his complicity in the fraud, and he
agreed on condition that in my next deal for hop-poles 100 should be
re