St Wild Life in a Southern County 



end of the old and the beginning of the new year, if one 

 chances to be out at night, every now and then comes the 

 unwonted note of a distant trumpet sounding over the 

 fields. The custom has grown frequent of recent years, 

 and these bands collect a good deal of money. 



The ringers from the church come too, with their 

 hand-bells, and ring pleasant tunes — which, however, on 

 bells are always plaintive — standing on the crisp frozen 

 grass of the green before the window. They are well 

 rewarded, for bells are great favourites with all country 

 people. 



What is more pleasant than the jingling of the tiny 

 bells on the harness of the cart-horses ? You may hear 

 the team coming with a load of straw on the waggon three 

 furlongs distant; then step out to the road, and watch 

 the massive yet shapely creatures pull the heavy weight 

 up the hill, their glossy quarters scarcely straining, but 

 heads held high showing the noble neck, the hoofs planted 

 with sturdy pride of strength, the polished brass of the 

 harness glittering, and the bells merrily jingling ! The 

 carter, the thong of his whip nodding over his shoulder, 

 walks by the shaft, his boy ahead by the leader, as proud 

 of his team as the sailor of his craft : even the whip is not 

 to be lightly come by, but is chosen carefully, bound 

 about with rows of brazen rings ; neither could you or I 

 knot the whipcord on to his satisfaction. 



For there is a certain art even in so small a thing, not 

 to be learned without time and practice ; and his pride in 

 whip, harness, and team is surely preferable to the indif- 

 ference of a stranger, caring for nothing but his money at 

 the end of the week. The modern system — men coming 

 one day and gone the next — leaves no room for the growth 

 of such feelings, and the art and mystery of the craft loses 



