ite disappeared. At the very first sound he had
slipped away to look at some cattle in Chequer's Piece, the very last
and outlying field of the farms, full a mile away, and when the
messengers got to Chequer's Piece of course he was up on the Down. So
much for the parish constable's office--an office the farmers shirked
whenever they could, and would not put in force when compelled to
accept it.

How could a resident willingly go into a neighbour's cottage and
arrest him without malice and scandal being engendered? If he did his
duty he was abused; if he did not do it, it was hinted that he
favoured the offender. As for the 'gip' who was stabbed, nothing more
was heard of it; she 'traipsed' off with the rest.

Sometimes when the 'tangle-legs' got up into their heads the labourers
felt an inclination to resume the ancient practices of their
fore-fathers. Then you might see a couple facing each other in the
doorway, each with his mug in one hand, and the other clenched,
flourishing their knuckles. 'Thee hit I.' 'Thee come out in th' road
and I'll let thee knaw.' The one knew very well that the other dared
not strike him in the house, and the other felt certain that, however
entreated, nothing would induce his opponent to accept the invitation
and 'come out into th' road.'

The shadows of the elm have so far to fall that they become enlarged
and lose the edge upon reaching the ground. I noticed this one
moonlight night in early June while sitting on a stile where the
footpath opened on the Overboro' road. Presently I heard voices, and
immediately afterwards a group came round the curve of the highway.
There were three cottage women, each with a basket and several
packages; having doubtless been into Overboro' town shopping, for it
was Saturday. They walked together in a row; and in front of them,
about five yards ahead, came a burly labourer of the same party,
carrying in his arms a large clock.

He had taken too much ale, and staggered as he walked, two steps aside
to one forward, and indeed could hardly keep upright. His efforts to
save himself and the clock from destruction led to some singular
flexures of the body, and his feet traced a maze as he advanced,
hugging the clock to his chest. The task was too much for his
over-taxed patience: just opposite the stile he stood still, held his
load high over his head, and shouting, 'Dang th' clock!' hurled it
with all his force thirty feet against the mound, at the same