134 Random Recoi.i,ections of the 



But, after the break up of a frost, just throw 

 your leg over a generous horse, and I'll go 

 bail you'll feel a percolation through your 

 system of the most exhilarating kind ; a 

 counterpoise to the depression which hangs 

 about a man when he sees a lot of horses 

 jogging monotonously round the tan, with 

 mischievous shots which buoyant spirits lead 

 to excess. One ought not to grumble, how- 

 ever, at a jolly old-fashioned Christmas. 

 Morals of the people have changed. The old 

 village topers, whose creed was to get drunk 

 every Saturday night in harvest time, and 

 once or twice a week besides, have been re- 

 moved from our midst. Poor Pilgarlic of the 

 stocks— subject of gibes and jeers of jobbernowls 

 no better than himself — has been improved out 

 of existence. Amongst some curious old 

 village documents, relating to the sporting 

 proclivities of our predecessors one hundred 

 and fifty years ago, the following extracts, said 

 to have been taken from the constable's book 

 at one of the villages on the Cliffrow, in 

 Lincolnshire, may be interesting: — " 1745, To 

 William Nixon, of Nocton, with badger, 6d. 

 1748, Paid to a fox killing, is. 1749, Spent 

 when we dressed the bull's foot, is. 1749, 



