DAYS STOLEN FOR SPORT 273 



get them at their own price ; very possibly this 

 attitude would have imposed upon the absent 

 husbands, but it seemed to have the opposite effect, 

 upon the women-folk. 



Somewhere near the centre of the greatest crowd 

 a middle-aged woman, tall and straight, with her 

 face above the shoulders of her nearest neighbours, 

 showed a set-purpose mien that told she had a price 

 she meant to get for the huge white pig which 

 tugged in vain at the rope she held. Her prize 

 seemed to attract each dealer as he was about to 

 pass until they all seemed bidding for her pig and, 

 I think it may be said, its purchase was the real 

 starting of the fair ; but I have some suspicion that 

 it was not the pig they coveted so much as the 

 absence of its owner's face, which was up so high 

 that women far and near could see it and feel 

 encouraged to be firm. 



The departure of this giantess and her monster 

 pig brought to view a pretty face overhung with 

 modesty and, strange to see, the pig she held was 

 modest too, and sat upon his hind quarters while 

 standing upon his fore legs with drooping head 

 between them, as a dog sometimes does when 

 waiting the next move. They both seemed sadly 

 out of place and jarred so much upon my nerves 

 that it would have relieved me to have held the 

 pig for her until the crack of well ! her husband's 

 skull for leaving her to a task she was so unfitted 

 for. Offers came to her, and hands were held out 

 to clench the bargainings, but they were declined 

 with " No, and thank you " that was easily seen by 

 the movement of her little mouth. For some time 

 this picture was hidden by a pushing woman whose 



