LEWES AND ITS COUNTRY 95 



vert of a youngster he would bring a stick into 

 play. In my day, you know, a straight, well- 

 seasoned ash-plant was well worth half a guinea. 

 You scarcely find one genuine naturally grown 

 ash-plant in a thousand — nay, ten thousand — 

 now because they are grown in moulds *'to 

 order " by the thousand, so that soft, quickly- 

 shot-up seedlings are to be had for a few pence. 

 Ash-plants they are by the dictionary, but not 

 in the same street with the old sort that grew 

 themselves. No one knew the value of a speci- 

 men better than John Home ; but if only he 

 could persuade a novice to take to his style of 

 walking with a stick he would incontinently 

 present a fine sample. How many trudgers 

 have ever tried his specific method ? Scarcely 

 any have heard of it, I believe. Here it is : he 

 used to declare that to properly balance the 

 body in walking and ''draw out your stride" 

 you should hold a stick or umbrella poised on 

 your finger-tips at about half-arm range. Instead 

 of swinging your arms you were to sway them 

 from side to side, and after practising any time 

 this way you will find it difficult to do as well 

 without the expedient as while being 'Med in 

 your work " by the stick. I can strongly recom- 

 mend the plan for at least a change on long 

 journeys, especially for walkers whose hands are 

 inclined to swell. But of course as it may mean 

 holding your arms in a set position for a long 

 while, practice is needed to guard against cramp 

 and tiredness ; when you are used to the method, 

 you find it very helpful. 



Mr Home was understood to have run 

 through his money owing to a love of sport not 

 altogether going on all fours with strict attention 



