58 THE MOONLIGHT LECTURE 



violin, and flute are in league with my group of 

 pretty gardeners, and carried away by the en- 

 thusiasm of their graceful leader, Miss More, they 

 seek to revive this sympathetic magic. Surely our 

 vegetables and flowers this coming year will win 

 silver medals galore for vigorous and graceful 

 growth, if dancing can be prophetic ? Even when, 

 after some hours, the flickering candles inside the 

 many-coloured Japanese lanterns betray weakness, 

 and when our Viennese band again assumes its 

 mask of brigand cloak and hat, this spirit of energy 

 and vigour yet prevails amongst the gardeners. 

 Nor is it stemmed by that exciting and yet some- 

 what painful game called " Snapdragon," when 

 raisins are snatched from a bowl of fire and finger- 

 tips suffer, or when " She's a Jolly Good Fellow " 

 is vigorously sung and each thinks the other must 

 be the one who is so warmly appreciated. Only, 

 perhaps, comes momentary calm with the hand- 

 linked-to-hand chain when " Auld Lang Syne," 

 sung by clear young voices, rings out through the 

 wide-open doors to warm the hearts of old village 

 folk in the great Weald below. A fitting close 

 indeed to this year's many days of work, play, and 

 good comradeship. 



