io8 
NATURE NOTES 
green hawthorn bushes and gather the blackthorn flower are 
numb'^red, but in many of our towns and villages the sovran 
charm of May is felt to need expression, and the May Queen 
still holds her court. It is a pity that these May-tide festivals 
are not more cared for as a children’s holiday. It is not difficult 
to make these gatherings of the young people at which both 
music and recitation, and needlework and athletic sports, if com- 
petitions are arranged for, can all be helped by the presiding 
genius of the day, the little May-tide Queen ; and at which 
also the cause of temperance and kindness to animals, and 
observation of Nature and bird - life, can be most surely 
encouraged by making the May Queen’s Festival an opportunity 
of bringing together the Bands of Hope of all the churches for the 
occasion and awarding prizes, or a challenge shield, not only for 
glee competition and temperance songs, but for essays on the 
observation of bird-life or flower-life, and kindness to animals, 
as well as on the use and abuse of alcohol. 
These are subjects that during the year can be made part of 
the Band of Hope teaching, and if the May Day is looked on as 
a recitation competition, it is easy to arrange for the afternoon 
to be spent in a May Day Procession which finishes up with 
sports and tea, while the evening concert gives an opportunity 
for the crowning of the Queen, and for her presentation of the 
prizes in an interval of the evening’s programme. 
At Keswick for some years past such a children’s May-tide 
Festival has been held with success and at the same time with 
simplicity. And nothing, surely, could have been more in keeping 
with the perfect May Day, than to see on last Wednesday, May 4, 
the various Bands of Hope with their banners and garlands and 
floral devices passing through the quiet little town and con- 
verging for the Musical Competition at the pavilion near the 
river Greta. 
“ Eh barn,” I heard an old man say, “ but what, it’s amaist 
fit to bring tears to yan’s eyes ; they dunnet seem to kna what 
care is. Poor things ! poor things ! ” 
The old fellow was not commiserating the happy garlanded 
children in their simple white frocks, or the little lads with 
flowers in their caps or button-holes, waving their flags as they 
walked, but he was looking forward to the time when instead of 
spring garlands they should wear the chain of winter weakness, 
or the weight of care, and feel the thorns of sorrow a poor 
exchange for the flowers of gladness. 
But the most heart-stirring sight was surely the coming of 
the Queen in royal progress through the acclaiming streets. 
Riding on a white pony, whose frontlet w'as a bunch of purple 
“ violas,” about whose neck was a garland, whose reins were 
woven with flowers, whose saddle cloth of green cloth was 
broidered with daffodils, while brave music went before 
her and attendant maids of honour carried garlands slung 
between white staves on either side, came the Queen of the 
