102 Wild Life ina Southern County. 
what they call ‘ shick-shack day’ search for oak-apples 
and the young leaves of the oak to place with a spray 
of ash in their hats or button-holes: the ash spray 
must have even leaves ; an odd number is not correct. 
To wear these green emblems was thought imperative 
even within the last twenty years, and scarcely a 
labourer could be seen without them. The elder men 
would tell you—as if it had been a grave calamity— 
that they could recollect a year when the spring was 
so backward that not an oak leaf or oak-apple could 
be found by the most careful search for the purpose. 
The custom has fallen much into disuse lately: the 
carters, however, still attach the ash and oak leaves 
to the heads of their horses on this particular day. 
Many village clubs or friendly societies meet in 
the spring, others inautumn. The day is sometimes 
fixed by the date of the ancient feast. The club and 
féte threaten, indeed, to supplant the feast altogether : 
the friendly society having been taken under the 
patronage of the higher ranks of residents. Here and 
there the feast-day, however (the day on which the 
church was dedicated), is still remembered, as in this 
village, where the elder farmers invite their friends 
and provide liberally for the occasion. Some of the 
gipsies still come with their stalls, and a little crowd 
assembles in the evening ; but the glory of the true 
feast has departed. 
The elder men, nevertheless, yet reckon by the 
