NATURE NEAR LONDON 



stick propped up a hurdle to windward, and thus 

 sheltered it. As it is, there seems no flame, only 

 white embers and a flow of smoke, into which the 

 men from time to time cast the dead wood they 

 have gathered. Here the pot is boiled and the 

 cooking accomplished at a safe distance from the 

 litter and straw of the rickvard. 



These people are Irish, who come year after 

 year to the same barn for the hoeing and the 

 harvest, travelling from the distant West to gather 

 agricultural wages on the verge of the metropolis. 



In fine summer weather, beside the usual busi- 

 ness traffic, there goes past this windy bare corner 

 a constant stream of pleasure-seekers, heavily laden 

 four-in-hands, tandems, dog-carts, equestrians, and 

 open carriages, filled with well-dressed ladies. They 

 represent the abundant gold of trade and com- 

 merce. In their careless luxury they do not notice 

 how should they ? the smoky fire in the 

 barren corner, or the shock-headed children staring 

 at the equipages over the hatch at the barn. 



Within a mile there is a similar fire, which by 

 day is not noticeable, because the spot is under a 

 hedge two meadows back from the road. At night 

 it shows brightly, and even as late as eleven o'clock 

 dusky figures may be seen about it, as if the family 

 slept in the open air. A third fire is kept up in 

 the same neighbourhood, but in a different direc- 

 _ 9 6- 



