128 IDLEHURST : 



man who loves the hay and considers the hay- 

 making his yearly holiday ; a couple of odd men 

 from the village, at other times a fettler and a 

 hay-trusser; and old Tomsett to swap round the 

 hedges and clear corners. After the cutting, the 

 swathes are properly turned with the fork ; and, 

 as the weather serves, got into line, into small cocks, 

 and in an ordinary year of doubtful skies, into large 

 cocks ; thence carried, a mature, wholesome feed, 

 and ricked on a proportionable base. This year the 

 sun and wind have made the hay almost too quickly, 

 and there will not be much difficulty in finishing all 

 to-night. It is busy in the field all day, and towards 

 four o'clock fervet opus along the brook alders. Lucy 

 Sayers leaves her kitchen to rake after the waggon, 

 a quaint figure in a vast bonnet and girt-up skirts. 

 Mae'ry Bish labours elegantly and not too hard in 

 a spotted blouse and what she would call a "siler'at ; " 

 Liza, old Packham's niece, hatless and touzled, looks 

 pretty and works famously, her pink print rolled 

 up to her strong elbows. Tomsett, to whom all 

 give the honourable title of "Mas'" for this turn, 

 commands the army with traditional authority and 

 ancient wisdom. A score of children roll in the 

 grass and do their best to derange the haycocks; 

 there is a gay babble of talk and laughter, through 



