io8 WITHIN AN HOUR OF LONDON TOWN. 



new order of things was no doubt inevitable, but 

 it has thrown the working parts of the old machin- 

 ery completely out of gear. The older members 

 of many of our rural communities speak regretfully 

 of past times. Quite recently I was talking with 

 an old fellow who had served the master of The 

 Coombe for many years. Memories came thick and 

 fast as we smoked a pipe together ; and this is how 

 the faithful old farm labourer talked : 



"Ah, you knowed him well; you were about here 

 times enough. Now you'd hardly think it, but I 

 never growed afore I went to live there at The 

 Coombe. It waun't tu be expected as I could shoot 

 up much, seein' as I on'y got two shillin's a-week 

 rook-mindin', though I wus at it from mornin' tu 

 night. Bread, mind ye, wus a terrible price then ; 

 an' many an' many a time hev I gone rook-tendin' 

 with on'y a hunch o' bread an' a injun or two in 

 my sotchel fur tu last me all day. When I got 

 home at night, there wus taters an' hard puddin', 

 an' glad enough we wus tu git that. 'Twas a hard 

 scratch tu git much in the shape o' vittles fur the 

 lot on us there wus. The young uns nowadays 

 don't know the meanin' o' hard times. 



