Fingers were made before Forks. 43 



also the farm-servants, if there were any, might find 

 sleeping-accommodation. Meals were in common. 

 Master, mistress, and men fed together, and fed alike. 

 For breakfast there was a large bowl of porridge set 

 on the table, with a basin of sweet milk beside it, and 

 a heap of large spoons, such as in those parts were 

 fashioned by the itinerant gipsies out of rams' horns. 

 As soon as the spoons had been scrambled for, each 

 was eagerly dipped first into the basin of milk and 

 then into the bowl of porridge, being conveyed thence 

 to the mouth without the intervention of a plate. 

 Oatcake and occasionally bacon or salt pork com- 

 pleted the repast. 



When the nine-o'clock breakfast was ended, the 

 mistress set on the broth for the two-o'clock dinner. 

 In consuming the broth, the family spoons came again 

 into requisition. From the beef which had been boiled 

 in it, the farmer cut off a slice and passed it on the 

 end of a fork to one of the party, and so on in succes- 

 sion till all had been served, each contentedly taking 

 the allotted portion with the fingers. For beef was 

 sometimes substituted "braxy" mutton, which formed, 

 and still forms, acceptable food to the farmers, although 

 it was prepared from sheep of which the life had been 

 shortened by disease. The special methods of pre- 

 paration adopted made it perfectly wholesome as 

 food, and by many the flavour was well liked. At six 

 o'clock there was supper of porridge and milk. 



In winter-time the hours were varied. Breakfast 

 was at eight. Bread and cheese were sent out to the 

 men in the field at noon. Dinner was at four o'clock, 

 when work was over for the day. Supper was at 



