WORKMEN'S WAGES. 25 



that nourishes and fattens those beautiful 

 cattle, some of which are at this moment 

 moaning and groaning on the Atlantic 

 Ocean. I felt pity for those cows as I saw 

 them for the last time innocently and uncon- 

 sciously cropping their last meal from their 

 native meadows. I wonder what they think 

 of it all now ! What a " muddle " the whole 

 system of creation must seem to them ! 



The workmen on this and the neighbouring 

 farms are fine fellows, and some of them are 

 handsome. There is nothing of the yokel 

 about them ; they know perfectly well what 

 their duties are, and they go about them in a 

 business-like way. They despise the " Three- 

 acres-and-a-cow " theory, and think them- 

 selves better off as they are. 



On this farm the men get thirteen shillings 

 a week all the year round, a good, well-built 

 roomy cottage and garden rent free, and a 

 sufficient patch of potato ground ; a supply of 

 cider all the year, except from November to 

 January quantity from four to six quarts a 

 day, according to the heat of the weather or 

 the thirst of the individual ; also two pounds 

 extra for harvest work. The cowman gets 

 his Sunday dinner all through the year ; the 

 shepherd an extra sovereign and a bottle of 

 gin for the lambing season ; and the wag- 



