150 FIELD AND FERN. 



birthday, it is, for flags, music, and cheering, un- 

 equalled. The New- Year greetings in the Corn 

 Exchange next morning were a hushed whisper by- 

 comparison, as we sauntered round its chocolate 

 stands, looked at samples, mouse-traps, oilcake, and 

 turnip-cutters, and pondered the thrilling query, 

 " Have you tried Thorlieshope IhneV 



But we must go back to September and the rams, 

 which make visitors throng the borough, and gladden 

 the innkeepers^ hearts. The small plant has slowly 

 and surely waxed into a great tree, and sheep- 

 breeders from Ireland, Yorkshire, and Wales now 

 come to sit under its shadow. Seventeen years ago 

 there was only a slight sprinkling of rams on The 

 Knowes, a small green near the Abbey, from one or 

 two breeders who let them for the season. Then 

 the show was commenced, whicli last j«ear rose to the 

 dignity of six auctioneers, fifty-seven sellers, and 

 2,300 tups. The prizes of the Union and Highland 

 Societies had been given the day before, and Stark 

 of Mellendean, Simson of Courthill, and Purvis of 

 Burnfoot had been winning with Leicesters, and Elliot 

 of Hindhope, whose sheep have not exactly the 

 Brydon glint, but excel in fleece, as all the hill sheep 

 of the East Border do, had left but one Cheviot 

 prize for ten gimmers to Shortreed of Attonburn. 

 Mr. Oliver had also been busy among the half-bred 

 tups, and Mr. Gibson, from that most bleak-sounding 

 place Windydoors, had finished with ^9 per head for 

 twenty-two, and £13 5s. for ^'^the top yen.^-* 



