L22 



Wiltshire Words. 



word in the right place. How graphic are " belly- vengeance," for 

 very small beer ; " cluster-o'-vive," the fist ; how pictorial is 

 kk dapster," a nimble boy ; " he-body," a woman of masculine 

 appearance; " mizzy-mazey," of print swimming before the eyes; 

 "squeeze-belly," a V-shaped stile; "dred-th'-wold-ooman's needle," 

 a children's game. Or, again, " There's our John, s'naw — alius a 

 messin'-a'ter the wenchen, s'naw — cawin and cawkettin' like a young 

 rook, s'naw — 'vore a can vly, s'naw — boun' to come down vlop, he 

 war." Or, a person complaining of loneliness or the want of 

 sociability and kindness amongst the neighbours, says : — " There 

 ain't one as'll so much as look in and say, * Dog, how be'est ? ' " Or 

 again, when thunder-clouds are coming up in summer, it looks 

 u grouty r 



We now come to words imaginative. Many of them are names 

 of flowers, and fancy has run riot ; but all of them show a closeness 

 of observation and that power of seeing unexpected resemblances 

 which lies at the root of wit. " Birds' Wedding-day " is pretty for 

 Valentine's Day, prettier than " pack-rag day" for Old Michaelmas 

 Day. " Gravel-path," for the Milky Way, and " Dick-and-his 

 Team," for the Great Bear, are homely ; then " Kissing-gate " for 

 one of those gates that swing inside a semi- circle —gates that you 

 can't hurry through if you want to, and that take rather longer 

 time if there are two of you. Here come appropriately " Kiss- 

 behind-the-garden-gate " (London Pride) ; Kiss-me-quick (Red 

 Spur Valerian) ; " Lady's glove," " Lady's petticoat." 



But who shall explain " Mother Shimble's-snick-needles," 

 " Granny jump out o' bed," " Granfer griddle goosey gander " ? 

 Simpler are "Butter and eggs," "Cows and calves," "Crows' legs " 

 " Snow in harvest." " Shamefaced Maiden " is a charming name 

 for the Wood Anemone ; " Quiet Neighbours ". is suggestive for the 

 Red Spur Valerian (which should be pronounced Valery Ann). 

 " Cains and Abels," " Children of Israel," " Joseph and Mary" 

 may go together. 



Here is a touch of natural poetry : — " What girt blossoms 'twur 

 to the snow ! " 



