40 Hunting in the Golden Days. 



many such orchestras remained now, instead of the 

 squeaky harmoniums that have replaced them. These 

 good musicians, at Christmas time, go round to play 

 at dances, and on New Year's Eve they perform the 

 accompaniment to the carol singers. The pews are 

 square and roomy, especially the Squire's, which much 

 resembles a loose box, and has accommodation for a 

 dozen or so. 



Talking about pews reminds me of a tale that I cannot 

 refrain from telling. A certain gentleman (a great man 

 in his own estimation) who was more proud of his 

 worldly goods than he should have been, was in the 

 habit, when a collection was being made, of placing his 

 intended donation on the top of the pew rail in the most 

 conspicuous position he could find. A visitor to the 

 village who was a bit of a wag in his way, hearing of 

 this gentleman's peculiarity, thought how he might 

 break him of this ostentatious habit. The next Sunday 

 when the plate was about to be handed round, the 

 proud donor, as usual, placed half-a-sovereign with a 

 clink on the rail, and awaited the arrival of the 

 plate. Hearing a similar clink in front of him, he 

 noticed that a sovereign had been deposited in a 

 similar manner. Not to be outdone, he placed a 

 sovereign beside his half-sovereign, and again awaited 

 the plate's arrival. What was his surprise to again see 

 another sovereign deposited in the front pew. He was 

 not to be outdone thus by a paltry stranger, so again 

 drawing forth his purse, he placed one more sovereign 

 on the rail. This was capped by another from the 

 stranger and replied to as before by the pompous giver. 

 At this moment the plate arrived and the rich man's 

 money was placed therein. At the same time, the 

 stranger (who subsequently turned out to be a London 



