d, and
clothes that would have scared of themselves, letting alone clappers.
The Squire knows how much of his land I have under my hand now, and
your reverence is acquainted with the years I've been churchwarden.

"Reverend Sir. I am proud to have rose by my own exertions. I never
iggerantly set _my_self against improvements and opportoonities."
(Gloom upon the face of the teacher of the fourth class, who objected
to machinery, and disbelieved in artificial manures.) "_My_ mottor 'as
allus been, 'Never lose a chance;' and that's what I ses on this
occasion; 'never lose a chance.'"

As our churchwarden backed his advice by offering to lend waggons and
horses to take us to Oakford, if the other farmers would do the same,
his speech decided the matter. We all wanted to go to Oakford, and to
Oakford it was decided that we should go.

CHAPTER XXI

OAKFORD ONCE MORE--THE SATIN CHAIRS--THE HOUSEKEEPER--THE LITTLE
LADIES AGAIN--FAMILY MONUMENTS

The expedition was very successful, and we all returned in safety to
Dacrefield; rather, I think, to the astonishment of some of the
good-wives of the village, who looked upon any one who passed the
parish bounds as a traveller, and thought our jaunt to Oakford
"venturesome" almost to a "tempting of Providence."

It is a curious study to observe what things strike different people
on occasions of this kind.

It was not the house itself, though the building was remarkably fine
(a modern erection on the site of the old "Grange"), nor the natural
features of the place, though they were especially beautiful, that
roused the admiration of our teachers and their scholars. Somebody
said that the house was "a deal bigger than the Hall" (at Dacrefield),
and one or two criticisms were passed upon the timber; but the noble
park, the grand slopes, the lovely peeps of distance, the exquisite
taste displayed in the grounds and gardens about the house, drew
little attention from our party. Within, the succession of big rooms
became confusing. One or two bits in certain pictures were pronounced
by the farmers "as natteral as life;" the "stattys" rather
scandalized them, and the historical legends attached by the
housekeeper to various pieces of furniture fell upon ears too little
educated to be interested. But when we got to the big drawing-room the
yellow satin chairs gave general and complete satisfaction. When old
Giles said, "Here they be!" we felt that all he had told us before wa