WILD LIFE IN A SOUTHERN COUNTY. 121 



it trodden down at the edge, and then in the middle, 

 and, like the centurion, sent men hither and thither. 

 His rick, when complete, did not rise perpendicularly, 

 but each face or square side sloped a little outwards 

 including the ends a method that certainly does give 

 the rick a very shapely look. 



But now the new-fangled " elevator " carries up the 

 hay by machinery from the wagon to the top, and 

 two ricks are run up while they would formerly have 

 just been carefully laying the foundation for one of 

 fagots to keep off the damp. The poles put up to 

 support the rick-cloth interfere with the mathematically 

 correct outward slope at the ends, upon which the old 

 fellow prided himself ; so they are carried up straight 

 like the end wall of a cottage, and are a constant 

 source of contempt to the ancient invalid. However, 

 he consoles himself with the reflection that most of 

 the men employed with the " elevator " will ultimately 

 go to a very unpleasant place, since they are continu- 

 ously swearing at the horse that works it, to make 

 him go round the faster. 



After an old cart or wagon has done its work and 

 is broken up, the wooden axletree, which is very solid, 

 is frequently used for the top bar of a stile. It an- 

 swers very well, and being of seasoned wood that has 

 received a good many coats of red paint, will last a 

 long time. The life of a wagon is not unlike that of 

 a ship. On the cradle it is the pride of the craftsman 

 who builds it, and who is careful to reproduce the 

 exact " lines " which he learned from his master as 



