COSTA. 49 



silence. Then, with a sigh, we turned and fled 

 for shelter. 



Varied, and each delightful, are the 

 memories that cluster round my visits to Costa. 

 Mingled with those of fishing, is the recollection 

 of a dance held in the village school -room. 

 It was the football club's annual " benefit " 

 and the floor was polished for the occasion with 

 a lavish application of French chalk which 

 rose in a cloud, and distributed itself 

 generously on the dancers as they threaded 

 their way in circling couples, so that, at the 

 end of the measure, they resembled dusty way- 

 farers. ,The fair sex was represented by 

 farmers* wives and daughters, some of whom,, 

 with their relatives, had driven in for miles. 

 Rosy cheeks and buxom figures ; there was no* 

 need to invoke art to aid nature. For the men 

 the orthodox dress suit was not insisted upon. 

 Some were in breeches and gaiters, but others, 

 wore trousers with morning coats, or jackets, 

 and effected a happy compromise with white ties 

 and " button-holes." So long as a man made 



