96 AN AMERICAN FARMER IN ENGLAND. 



people, except the most polished, that we have met. Is i\ 

 not singular 1 Among the lowest classes, however, there are 

 many words used that puzzle us ; others are pronounced 

 curiously, and many of our common words are used in new 

 combinations. There is an old-fashioned, quaint set of words 

 in common use that we only understand from having met 

 with them in old books in the Bible, for instance. The 

 words Master and Mistress (instead of Mister and Misses, as 

 we have got to pronounce them), and lad and lass, are usual. 

 &quot;Here, lad!&quot; &quot; Well, Maister?&quot; I first heard in the Liver 

 pool market. I passed a man there, too, leading a dray- 

 horse, with a heavy load, up one of the steep streets. He 

 was encouraging him in this way : &quot; Coom on, my lad ! 

 Coom on, my good lad !&quot; When he had reached the brow 

 he stopped and went before the noble beast, who, with glisten 

 ing eyes, and ears playing beautifully, bowed his head to be 

 patted, &quot; Good lad! good lad! Well, thee s done it!&quot;* 



We had noticed yesterday in Liverpool that the omni 

 buses were decorated with branches of trees, ribbons, and 

 flags ; the union-jack (British ensign) was hoisted in several 

 places, the children seemed to be enjoying a half-holiday in 

 the afternoon, and once we saw them going together in an 

 irregular procession, carrying a little one dressed with leaves 

 and crowned with a gilt-paper cap, and singing together in 

 shrill chorus some verses, of which we only understood the 

 frequent repetition of the words : &quot; The twenty-ninth of 

 May ! the twenty-ninth of May !&quot; It occurred to C. to ask 

 whether all this was intended to celebrate any thing. &quot; Oh, 



* A gentleman, riding towards Chowbet, and seeing a boy in the road, 

 shouted out to him, &quot; My lad, am I half-way to Chowbet 1&quot; Young 

 Lancashire looked up at the querist, and said, &quot;Hah con aw tell, tha 

 foo , when I doon t know wheear ta coom fra ?&quot; Liverpool paper. 





