WITH THE WOODLANDERS. 21 



had been carved by some rustic genius, or rather 

 fashioned from a large peach-stone, having two 

 small white beads inserted for eyes. The holes in 

 the beads served as eye-pupils. The thing's head 

 was fixed to a wooden button, a little dog's-toothed 

 patterned collar of red and black was fixed round 

 it, and the name of the whole was " Jobber." I 

 carried "Jobber" long about with me to laugh at, 

 and make others laugh, when I was far away from 

 the giver; but at last I gave the fetish away to a 

 woodland friend who had often looked at it with 

 longing eyes : he told me over and over again that 

 there was " summut in it." There was certainly 

 enough quaint mischievous ugliness in that little 

 figure-head to frighten some. Luck or no luck, I 

 parted with "Jobber," and the only things I missed 

 were his own impish features. 



It is considered a sad misfortune to let the old- 

 fashioned eight-day clocks run down, or to let the 

 wood - embers die out in the hearths, either in 

 summer or in winter. I have seen the master of 

 the house draw the clock up before going to bed, 

 and tap the face of it, as if he were bidding good 

 night to one of his own children. 



