122 Wiltshire Words. 
word in the right place. How graphic are * belly-vengeance,” for 
very small beer; ‘ cluster-o’-vive,”’ the fist; how pictorial is — 
“dapster,” a nimble boy; “he-body,”’ a woman of masculine 
appearance ; “ mizzy-mazey,” of print swimming before the eyes ; 
“‘squeeze-belly,”’ a V-shaped stile; ‘“‘dred-th’-wold-ooman’s needle,” — 
a children’s game. Or, again, ‘‘ There’s our John, s’‘naw—allus a 
messin’-a’ter the wenchen, s’naw—cawin and carkettin’ like a young 
rook, s’naw—’vore a can vly, s‘naw—boun’ to come down vlop, he 
war.” 
Or, a person complaining of loneliness or the want of 
sociability and kindness amongst the ‘neighbours, says :—‘‘ There — 
ain’t one as’ll so much as look in and say, ‘ Dog, how be’est ?’” Or 
again, when thunder-clouds are coming up in summer, it looks 
* grouty.” 
We now come to words imaginative. Many of them are names” 
of flowers, and fancy has run riot; but all of them show a closeness 
of observation and that power of seeing unexpected resemblances 
which lies at the root of wit. ‘‘ Birds’ Wedding-day ”’ is pretty for 
Valentine’s Day, prettier than ‘‘ pack-rag day” for Old Michaelmas. 
Day. ‘ Gravel-path,” for the Milky Way, and “ Dick-and-his 
Team,”’ for the Great Bear, are homely; then ‘“‘ Kissing-gate ” for 
one of those gates that swing inside a semi-circle—gates that you 
can’t hurry through if you want to, and that take rather longer 
time if there are two of you. Here come appropriately “ Kiss- 
behind-the-garden-gate’’ (London Pride); Kiss-me-quick (Red 
Spur Valerian); ‘“ Lady’s glove,”’ “ Lady’s petticoat.” 
But who shall explain ‘ Mother Shimble’s-snick-needles,”’ 
“Granny jump out o’ bed,” ‘“ Granfer griddle goosey gander ”’ ? 
Simpler are “Butter and eggs,”* “Cows and calves,” ‘Crows’ legs” 
“Snow in harvest.” ‘ Shamefaced Maiden ” is a charming name 
for the Wood Anemone ; ‘‘ Quiet Neighbours ” is suggestive for the 
Red Spur Valerian (which should be pronounced Valery Ann). 
“Cains and Abels,” ‘ Children of Israel,” ‘* Joseph and Mary’ 
may go together. 
Here is a touch of natural poetry : 
to the snow !”’ 
“What girt blessoms *t 
