Shepherds. 85 



walk long distances to see mistresses in want of as- 

 sistance, by appointment. They get tired ; perhaps 

 night approaches and then comes the difficulty, of 

 lodging them if the house happens to be full. Cot- 

 tagers make the greatest difficulty, unless by some 

 chance it should be discovered that they met the 

 girl's uncle or cousin years ago. 



To their friends and neighbors, on the contrary, 

 they are often ver}" kind, and ready to lend a helping 

 hand. If they seldom sit down to a social gathering 

 among themselves, it is because they see each other 

 so constantly during the day, working in the same 

 fields, and perhaps eating their luncheon a dozen to- 

 gether in the same outhouse. A visitor whom they 

 know from the next village is ever welcome to what 

 fare there is. On Sundays the younger men often 

 set out to call on friends at a distance of several 

 miles, remaining with them all day ; they carry with 

 them a few lettuces, or apples from the tree in the 

 garden (according to the season), wrapped up in a 

 colored handkerchief, as a present. 



Some of the older shepherds still wear the ancient 

 blue smockfrock, crossed with white ' facings ' like 

 coarse lace ; but the rising generation use the great- 

 coat of modern make, at which their forefathers would 

 have laughed as utterly useless in the rain-storms that 

 blow across the open hills. Among the elder men, 

 too, may be found a few of the huge umbrellas of a 

 former age, which when spread give as much shelter 

 as a small tent. It is curious that they rarely use 

 an umbreUa in the field, even when simply standing 

 about ; but if they go a short journey along the high- 

 way, then they take it with them. The aged men 



