A JOURNAL KEPT IN THE COUNTRY. 1/5 



moneys. It appears that they have about 1500 

 invested with a neighbouring Sanitary Authority ; 

 that the Court is quite solvent ; that the sick pay 

 has been rather high ; and that Brother Blaber's and 

 Brother Pink's funerals respectively cost 17 and 

 14 which strikes one as handsome, to say the 

 least. There is every sign that the funds are man- 

 aged in an honest and businesslike way ; and the real 

 value of the association, which has been a little 

 obscured during the feast, becomes apparent. 



The long afternoon drags on. The sun has come 

 out, and shines on the swaying flowers in the garden, 

 where the bandsmen recline beside their nectar. 

 We still have to drink to the Trade, the Visitors, 

 Kindred Societies, the Press, and the Chair. A 

 sleepy atmosphere grows upon us, and presently 

 the Rector, feeling the pulse of things, clubs the 

 outstanding healths together, and dismisses us to 

 the outer air. We all clatter out, a little aggrieved 

 at the curtailment of the regular programme, and I 

 hear a stout brewer beside me say to his mate : 

 " Rector's alias one for cuttin' it short, ain't he ? " 



In the street we separate, the Brethren to the 

 Mill Meadow, joined by their womankind. 



" What are they goin' to do now ? " asks the Major. 



" Run races, jump in sacks, and so on," the Rector 



