BACK TO THE WEST COUNTRY 179 



been visiting the West of England for the last two 

 or three years, and this was the first time he had 

 elected to spend the night at Yeovil. He had nothing 

 more to do in the place, having finished his business 

 early in the afternoon. He could have got to Bristol 

 or gone on to Exeter; he was staying only to hear 

 the nightingale. He had never heard it, and he didn't 

 want to finish his rounds on this occasion and go back 

 north without that long-desired experience. 



These rough fellows from the north, especially 

 from Yorkshire and Lancashire, are always sur- 

 prising us with their enthusiasm, their aesthetic 

 feeling! One Sunday morning not long ago I was on 

 the cathedral green at Salisbury watching the pigeons 

 and daws on the vast pile, when I noticed a young 

 working man with his wife and child sitting on the 

 grass by the elm trees. They had a luncheon basket 

 with them, and were evidently out for the day. 

 By-and-by the young man got up and strolled over 

 to where I was standing, looking up at the birds 

 soaring round the spire, and, entering into conver- 

 sation with me, he told me that he was a zinc-worker 

 from Sheffield, that he had been sent south to work 

 at Tidworth in the erection of zinc and iron buildings 

 for the army. When he saw Salisbury Cathedral 

 and heard the choir he was so delighted that he 

 resolved to spend his Sundays and any day he had 

 off at the cathedral. He was musical himself, and 

 belonged to some musical society in his own town. He 

 talked of his love of music with sparkling eyes, and 

 while he talked he continued watching the birds, the 



