232 RECORDS OF OLD TIMES 



approaching. The bleating of sheep afforded the 

 shepherds climatic portents ; the movement of 

 insects had meaning. It is noteworthy that the 

 frog has a very golden skin when fine weather 

 prevails, or is expected. The cawing of rooks, the 

 crying of certain birds always portends a thunder- 

 storm. The buzzing and flying, as also the biting 

 of various insects, indicate changes In the weather. 

 There is a vein of quiet humour in the farm 

 labourer which is but little known. It is the fashion 

 to decry these honest good folk, and to give them 

 but little credit for astuteness and originality. My 

 experience is otherwise. I was accustomed at my 

 harvest home to entertain my men and their wives 

 at my residence in the town, and my wife gave them 

 prizes for the produce of their farm gardens. There 

 was a small lake in the grounds, with a boat upon 

 it, and the men with their wives were perambulating 

 the gardens, when it was considered a great 

 achievement to be able to get into the boat and row 

 on the water. The younger men were very desirous 

 of getting one of the older men, Harry Mason by 

 name, to venture into the boat, but nothing would 

 induce him to go. When John King, the head 

 ploughman said : ' Ah ! you'll never get old Harry 

 to leave old England ! ' alluding to his stepping off 

 the bank into the boat. At the supper, one of the 

 men remarked that he was a very quick feeder. 

 'Yes,' rejoined another, 'and you're a long time 

 about it.' After the meal sinoringf was the order of 

 the evening ; the chorus to the songs was somewhat 



