50 Lincolnshire Notes & Queries* 



was all the outing they aspired to : now there is a -station at 

 half the distance, and they travel more, occasionally going by 

 an excursion train to the seaside. 



Bank Holidays pass almost unnoticed, but May I4th, or 

 Pag-rag day, is a great event, when the single firm servants, 

 male and female, leave their places, or at least take a week's 

 holiday, and spend the time in visiting their friends and going 

 round to the different markets. The married men decide 

 whether they will remain with their masters at Candlemas ; 

 they have the privilege of attending what is called the 

 labourers' market soon after that date, when they hire them- 

 selves again and leave their old places April 6th. The life of 

 an agricultural labourer has the advantage of being healthy ; 

 they are seldom ill and often live to a great age ; their work, 

 if on a day farm, is heavy, but it is slow they need not hurry 

 except in harvest time ; their food consists of bacon, bread, 

 potatoes and other vegetables, butcher's meat once a week if 

 they can afford it, with tea and sometimes beer ; milk is not 

 always obtainable, and they use butter sparingly. The lads 

 who board with the foreman have plenty of bread and milk 

 and bacon every day, tea or coffee on Sundays. On the other 

 hand their hours are long : in summer from three or four 

 o'clock till nearly dark, and the married men have no holiday 

 except at their own expense ; no wonder all the sharpest boys 

 want to be clerks or go on the railway, where they have some 

 time to themselves, at least on Sundays. If farmers would 

 give each man a week's holiday, and a day off occasionally to 

 work in his garden or go to a neighbouring fair or flower show, 

 he would be much more content. Some arrangement should 

 also be made to give the garthmen and shepherds assistance on 

 Sunday ; they like to have the chance of putting on their best 

 clothes, which they seldom do except to attend a funeral. 



The Reading-room at Hatton is self-supporting, and, for so 

 small and scattered a parish, much appreciated in winter, 

 besides being useful for meetings, teas, etc., at other times. 

 The married labourers do not patronize it, because they 

 naturally prefer their own firesides when once they get home ; 

 but it is a pity the lads are not encouraged to make more use 

 of it, instead of spending their evenings in stables and out- 

 houses. 



ANIMALS. 



About 20 years ago the old keeper was pensioned, and his 

 nephew, an intelligent young man, took his place. Till then 



