ANOTHER TALE OF ARCADY. 53 



blow to the 'Statesman. Ten years ago one 

 mountain dale at least was wholly tenanted by 

 farmers of this class. To-day not one remains. 

 In this quiet spot they had long lived unevent- 

 ful lives, fairly prosperous, and content. Their 

 little world was small, but their wants were few. 



As many of their sons and daughters as 

 could be spared went out to hired service, or 

 if one of the lads happened to be a weakling, he 

 " was bred a scholar." At the beginning of 

 the present century scores of yeomen's sons 

 held small " livings " in their native northern 

 dales. 



The life of the fell folk must have been 

 terribly lonely in winter. They rose and went 

 to bed with the sun, their only artificial lights 

 being made from rushes and mutton-fat. Among 

 the shippons in winter these were carried 

 in old-fashioned horn lanterns, all of which 

 articles they manufactured by their own simple 

 methods. There were no markets for milk 

 and butter, and so the former was converted 

 into cheese, mostly of a very low quality. 

 Oatmeal, salt-beef, bacon, and dried mutton, 

 constituted the staple food of the better class 

 yeoman, whilst in summer eggs, veal, and 



