102 WILD LIFE IN A SOUTHERN COUNTY. 



Cottagers have their own social creed and customs. 

 In their intercourse, one point which seems to be 

 insisted upon particularly is a previous knowledge or 

 acquaintance. The very people whose morals are 

 known to be none of the strictest and cottage morality 

 is sometimes very far from severe will refuse, and 

 especially the women, to admit a strange girl, for in* 

 stance, to sleep in their house for ample remuneration, 

 even when introduced by really respectable persons. 

 Servant girls in the country where railways even now 

 are few and far between often walk long distances 

 to see mistresses in want of assistance, by appoint- 

 ment. They get tired ; perhaps night approaches, 

 and then comes the difficulty of lodging them, it 

 the house happens to be full. Cottagers make the 

 greatest difficulty, unless by some chance it should 

 be discovered that they met the girl's uncle or cousin 

 years ago. 



To their friends and neighbours, on the contrary, 

 they are often very kind, and ready to lend a helping 

 hand. If they seldom sit down to a social gathering 

 among themselves, it is because they see each other 

 so constantly during the day, working in the same 

 fields, and perhaps eating their luncheon a dozen 

 together in the same outhouse. A visitor whom they 

 know from the next village is ever welcome to what 

 fare there is. On Sundays the younger men often set 

 out to call on friends at a distance of several miles, 

 remaining with them all day ; they carry with them 

 a few lettuces, or apples from the tree in the garden 



