246 IN THE GREEN LEAF 



for children that the smaller ones are made. 

 Then there are hay-rakes to be made ; also 

 bakers' peals, skeps or straw bee-hives, brooms, 

 threshing-flails. Last, but not least, charcoal 

 burning had to be carried on. This is not a 

 full list of their occupations, but it is sufficient 

 for our purpose. A forester's wood -house- 

 quite as important to him as the house he lived 

 in was the workshop and tool-house, and in 

 these, first with one and then with another of 

 our friends, I used to have long chats when my 

 own work for the day was over ; so very inter- 

 esting at times would the conversation be, that 

 it had to be finished in the chimney-corner. 

 That worthy and motherly old " dame," as her 

 husband called her, where for some time I had 

 my lodging, would send a gentle hint down- 

 stairs to us now and then " Massy-oh-father, 

 do give over, finish it another time." Then we 

 would look gravely at each other, lay our pipes 

 on one side, and retire. 



In the wood-house, or, as they always called 

 it, the " woodhus," there was a place for every- 

 thing, and when not in use, things were where 

 they should be. Axes for timber-felling and 

 for lopping, each for the special purpose it was 

 made for ; bill-hooks, large and small ; the beetle, 



