2l6 IDLEHURST: 



the incumbent of the parish. At the master's desire 

 the sow was attended to first. Avery helped the 

 parson to bleed her, and then took his place with the 

 rest of the household at the death-bed ministrations in 

 the best bedroom. I judge that the office was said with 

 a power and spirituality which Avery has never for- 

 gotten. He is quite certain that his master went away 

 easier because the Parson told him, " Reuben, put that 

 sow off your mind. She'll be quite right again in two 

 days." "And then," says Avery, "he waited a bit, like 

 as if he was thinking, rubbing the lancet on his coat- 

 sleeve ; and then he began the prayers. Now him," 

 he continues, indicating the present Vicar with a 

 backward jerk of his head, " what does he know 

 beyond his Latin and Greek ? Muster Scrase knew 

 all that, and Hebrew too, I've heard say ; and he 

 was SL man besides. If a man's got the real thing 

 in him, it isn't much for him to understand a bit 

 of farming, or about animals and that. Now most 

 people would ha' cut that sow acrost the ear with 

 a knife, and not used the lancet ; but he knew what 

 she wanted." 



I put it to Avery that perhaps the modern in- 

 cumbent has not so much time for extraneous 

 labours. 



" I dessay they took things easier when I was a 



