nds,
It is but a sprout,
But it's well budded out.
by the work of our Lord's hands.
* * * *
The moon shines bright and the stars give light,
A little before it is day;
So God bless you all, both great and small,
And send you a joyful May!

Plough Monday and its interesting connection with the return of the
season for field work of the husbandman, and its modern relic of
perambulating the streets with a plough for largess, has practically
passed away as a custom and has long since lost its sentiment. Another
curious observance connected with the harvest was in full swing at the
time of which I am writing; viz., the "hockey" load, or harvest home.
Many persons living remember the intense excitement which centred
around the precincts of the farmhouse and its approaches, when it was
known that the last load of corn was coming home! Generally a small
portion, enough to fill the body of the cart, was left for the last
load. Upon this the men rode home, shouting "merry, merry, harvest
home," which was a well understood challenge to all and sundry to bring
out their water! Through the village the light load rattled along at a
great pace, while from behind every wall, tree, or gatepost along the
route, men, women and even children, armed with such utensils as came
ready to hand, sent after the flying rustics a shower of water {100}
which continually increased in volume as the hockey load reached the
farm-yard, where capacious buckets and pails charged from the horse
pond brought up a climax of indescribable fun and merriment!

The next in order of the seasons, manners, and customs are the summer
and autumn feasts and fairs. Of the fair held at Anstey, the following
is an announcement of seventy years ago--

ANSTEY FAIR,
ON THURSDAY, JULY 15TH, 1817.
A Tea Kettle to be Bowled for by Women.
A Gown to be Smoked for by Women.
A Shift to be Run for by Women.
A Share to be Ploughed for by Men, at Mr. Hoy's
at the Bell, at Anstey.

How far smoking by women was a habit, or how far it was a device
to contribute to the fun of the fair, cannot very well be
determined--probably there was in it a little of both. The following
poetical announcement is another type--

_A Muslin Gown-piece_, with needle work in,
For Girls to run for; for the first that comes in:
To _Sing for Ribbons_, and _Bowl for a Cheese_;
To _Smoke for Tobacco_, and _Shoot_--if you ple