THE COUNTRY SUNDAY. 7s 
‘ 
some places whole villages belong to English monks, and 
there is not a man or woman in them who is not a Catho- 
lic; there are even small country towns which by dint 
of time, money, and territorial influence have been re-ab- 
sorbed, and are now as completely Catholicas they were 
before Henry VIII. In these half-village half-towns 
you may chance on a busy market day to come acrossa 
great building abutting on the street, and may listen to 
the organ and the chant; there is incense and gorgeous 
ceremony, the golden tinkle of the altar-bell. Bow your 
head, it is the host ; cross yourself, it is the mass. The 
butcher and the dealer are busy with the sheep, but it is 
a saint’s day. By-and-by no doubt we shall have a 
village Lourdes at home, and miracles and pilgrimages 
and offerings and shrines: the village will be right glad 
to see the pilgrims, if only they come from the West 
End and have money in the purse. The village would 
be very glad indeed of a miracle to bring it a shower of 
gold. 
