136 The Country Parson, 



though often reproved by the elder sisters, who were not 

 much displeased when the London stranger nodded his head 

 seriously and winked an apology. Another pew was 

 occupied by the blacksmith, a hale man of seventy without 

 a grey hair, looking noble in a black velveteen coat, and a 

 shirt-collar like a sail, and a *' bird's-eye fogle " tied once 

 round, showing the neck of a perfect Hercules ; and in 

 the same pew was an old superannuated huntsman, 

 who looked as if he was always feeling for the horn, with 

 his hair close cropped and white tie with long ends, a fox's 

 head for a pin, and a long frock-coat, breeches, and 

 mahogany tops. And next the old huntsman sat the 

 blacksmith's daughter, a snake-headed one, with jet black 

 hair and blue eyes, and the smallest of ears like shells ; and 

 next to her the under-keeper, a fine Yorkshireman, who 

 shared her book, attired in a brown velveteen coat, and 

 bronze buttons displaying every kind of dog's head. And 

 we were not surprised when their banns were put up, and 

 the old huntsman gave Vulcan a dig in the ribs, and we all 

 looked round at the handsome couple, and should have had 

 much pleasure in giving three cheers had it been decent. 

 No wonder that the old village poacher's j)lace was empty, 

 for you may be sure that some hare suffered that day. It 

 was quite time that the banns were put up, for I saw, a 

 few weeks before, the young keeper and the blacksmith's 

 daughter trying to catch a pony in the orchard, and never 

 were two people so long about a simple job ; and when the 

 pony was caught the captors' heads were as close together 

 as the two-headed nightingale's. I should like to have had 

 a hand in catching that pony, for the reward was very 

 ample remuneration for the trouble. 



It was rather sad to see the numbers of very old, old 

 people who evidently could not read in those days, though 

 they had a simple creed of theii' own, as besides the cardinal 



