SUMMER IN SOMERSET. 279 



in some of the villages, something resembling a water- 

 wheel placed horizontally. This was moved by horses 

 walking round and round, and drove machinery in the 

 barn by belt or shafting. The labourers, greatly in- 

 censed for they regarded threshing by the flail as their 

 right tried to burn them, but the structures were 

 guarded and still exist. Under the modern conditions 

 of farming they are still found useful to cut chaff, crack 

 corn, and so on. The ancient sickle is yet in use for 

 reaping in Somerset ; the reapers sharpen it by drawing 

 the edge through an apple, when the acid bites and 

 cleans the steel. While we were sauntering through a 

 village one morning, out rushed the boys from school, 

 and instantly their tongues began to wag of those things 

 on which their hearts were set. ' I know a jay's nest,' 

 said one ; ' I know an owl's nest,' cried a second ; a third 

 hastened to claim knowledge of a pigeon's nest. It will 

 be long before education drives the natural love of the 

 woods out of the children's hearts. Of old time a village 

 school used to be held in an ancient building, the lower 

 part of which was occupied as almshouses. Underneath 

 the ancient folk lived as best they might, while the 

 young folk learned and gave their class responses, or 

 romped on the floor overhead. The upper part of the 

 building belonged to one owner, the lower part to 

 another landlord. It came about that the roof decayed, 

 and the upper owner suggested to the lower owner that 

 they should agree in bearing the cost of repairs. Upon 

 which the owner of the basement remarked that he con- 

 templated pulling his part down. 



\ n these ham lets along the foot of the hil Is ancient stone 

 crosses are often found. One of them has retained its 

 top perfect, and really is a cross, not a shaft only. This 

 is, I think, rare. Sometimes in the village street, the 



