Rural Sports of Old England. 
BY FRANK S. FINN. 
Number VII. 
Before enumerating some of the sports 
for July, we cannot help quoting the fol¬ 
lowing introductory of the month, itself, 
which seems so applicable to that gladsome 
season, and which is filled with the aroma 
of summer sweetness, so dear to the country 
habitant, and so enticing to the residents of 
the city. 
“In July we have full summer. The rye 
is yellow and almost ripe for the. sickle. The 
wheat and barley are of a dull green, from 
their swelling ears being alone visible, as 
they bow before every breeze that blows 
over them. The oats are whitening apace, 
and quiver, each individual grain on its 
light stem, as they hang like rain-drops in 
the air. Looked on, separately and at a 
distance, these three now wear a somewhat 
dull and monotonous hue, when growing in 
great spaces; but these will be interceded in 
all directions, by patches of the brilliant 
emerald, which now begins to spring 
afresh on the late mown meadows; by the 
golden yellow of the rye, in some cases cut 
and standing in sheaves, by the rich dark 
green of the turnip fields, and still more 
brilliantly by sweeps, here and there, of 
the bright yellow charlock, the scarlet corn 
poppy, and the blue succory, which, like 
perverse beauties, scatter the stray gifts of 
their charms in proportion, as the soil can 
not afford to support the expense attendant 
on them.” 
In an old magazine the season is ushered 
in as follows: 
“Our Saxon fathers did full rightly call 
This month of July—‘Hay-month’—when all 
The verdure of the full-clothed fields we mow, 
And turn, and rake, and carry off; and so 
We build it up, in large and solid mows’. 
If it be good, as everybody knows, 
To ‘make hay while the sun shines’ we should 
choose 
Right ‘times for all things’, and no time abuse.” 
Perhaps it was because this was a busy 
month, and so much of it was occupied 
in haying, the people had but few of their 
sports recorded; yet they did manage to 
leave their haying, on Independence Day— 
that day so sacred to fire-crackers, spread 
eagle orations and all the accompaniments,, 
and become more tired than they have ever 
been in the hay field. 
Wolverhampton Fair took place this- 
monish, and on the evening^before, there 
used to be a procession of ^men in antique 
armor, preceded by musicians who played) 
the “fair” tune; then came the steward of 
the deanery manor, the peace officers and. 
many of the principal inhabitants. Tradi¬ 
tion says, the ceremony originated when 
Wolverhampton was a great emporium for 
wool—maybe that is how it came by its 
name which was probably spelled Wool- 
verhampton—and resorted to by merchants 
of the staple from all parts of England. 
“The necessity of an armed force to keep 
peace and order during the fair—which is* 
said to have lasted fourteen days, but the 
charter says only eight—is not improbable. 
The custom of walking the fair, as it v> as- 
called, with the armed procession, &c., was 
first omitted in 1789.” 
You may think that the excursions given-, 
to the poor every season, are something of 
a modern idea and originated in the United 
States, but so far back as 1824 this plan 
had its germ in England: several persons- 
contributing a small sum every week, over 
four huadred subscribing to the fund; and 
thus making many a saddened heart glad r 
and alleviating the sorrows of many indig¬ 
ent families. It was called “The Friend- 
m-Need Society” and it proved itself to be 
a friend indeed. A steam packet was char¬ 
tered, and, early in the morning, the sick, 
poor and sorrowful were treated to one day 
of rare enjoyment. They seemed to leave 
their pains r aches, murmurings and poverty 
on the wharf, behind them—pity they had 
ever to resume them again—for they en¬ 
joyed the sail with its picturesque panor¬ 
amic views on the river Thames, joined in, 
the songs and choruses, until they arrived 
at the place where they were to pass the 
day. One who accompanied these excur¬ 
sions, once, writes:. Preparations had been 
made for our reception; the beat hauled 
up alongside the island for the better land¬ 
ing. Tents were erected on the lawn; a. 
spacious and well-stocked fruit-garden was 
throw* open for our pleasure, and plenty of 
good cheer provided by ‘mine host’ of the 
