262 CJteMM Gleanings. 



village, called the Bell, is now known as the Bell Farm. This used 

 to have a picturesque old swinging sign on the side of the road just 

 opposite the front door, of which I was very sorry to see the last. 

 The second inn stood under the shadow of the great elm close to 

 the village forge, and had been for many years turned into the private 

 residence of the blacksmith. At last, one unlucky afternoon in 

 1883, a spark from the chimney of the forge alighted on the 

 thatched roof and burned the whole place to the ground. How the 

 house had stood so long as it did was a marvel, for there was another 

 danger to which I had been expecting year by year that it would 

 succumb, and that was the probability of the fall of the great elm 

 which grew above it^ and which was, and is, the largest tree in the 

 parish. One enormous branch did give way many years ago, but 

 curiously enough, although it broke exactly over the house, not 

 the least harm resulted. First the end descended gently to 

 the ground, and then the stock laid itself quietly down upon 

 the roof, with the slope of whieh it came exactly parallel, not 

 even disturbing a straw, or wakening the inhabitants, who, it 

 being night, were asleep in their beds. The third of the inns in 

 is the excellent hostelry whieh still exists under the name of 4 

 the Black Horse. The fourth stood at the top of the hill known as » 

 Labour-in- Vain, to which it is said to have bequeathed the name of In 

 its sign. If so, this doubtless represented an European trying to "i 

 wash an Ethiopian white, as in the case of another Labour-in- Vain (i 

 Hill, near Old Fish Street, in London, where was formerly a tavern t 

 bearing this device, I may, perhaps, add, that there is another ft 

 explanation of the name. It is said by some authorities to refer to is 

 the labour of the traveller, who, wishing to mount to the top of the k 

 downs, finds on getting to the top of this hill that he has still two-f tt 

 thirds of the distance to make. This explanation seems, however, ft 

 to me to be somewhat inadequate. I do not think that any one of i 

 us, if he happened to have a bedroom au seconde, would remark i t; 

 when he got to the top of the first of the two flights of stairs, that i il 

 his labour had been in vain, as there remained still another flight to tl 

 be surmounted ! ' 

 One great institution of Cherhill in bygone days which I mustfjll 



