Unfortunately, the old-fashioned motherly, hardworking farmer's wife is
a type of woman which is rapidly dying out, and the modern specimen
belongs to that large and useless brigade of "perfect ladies" who are
above their position and who regard work as undignified. I recently saw
an advertisement from a farmer's daughter who said in it that she had
offers of plenty of mounts, but wanted some lady to give her a riding
habit! Surely it would have been far better for her to have worked and
earned one, instead of cadging in such a manner for her amusement?
Proverbially bad as our fresh butter in the Midlands is, I fear the time
is approaching when butter making will entirely cease, for, with few
exceptions, farmers' daughters are not trained to do dairy work. A
modern "young lady" from a farm, who had been educated in a Board
school, applied to a well known lady of title for a situation as
governess; but her ladyship pointed out that her educational attainments
did not qualify her for such a post, and suggested that she should
obtain employment as a parlourmaid. Needless to say that the farmer's
daughter scorned the idea of thus "lowering" herself! Even the daughters
of farm labourers nowadays ride their bicycles, instead of going out to
service as their mothers and grandmothers did before them, and dress
themselves ridiculously out of keeping with their position and
surroundings. It seems very incongruous to see such girls living in
indolence in country villages, while the daughters of their parson,
as frequently happens in large families, turn out and earn their own
livelihood.

[Illustration: Fig. 138.--"'Ware wire."]

It would cost very little to give an annual ball, say, after the Hunt
ball and before the decorations were taken down, to farmers and their
wives and any local residents who help towards the support of hunting,
and I feel sure that an entertainment of this kind would be productive
of beneficial results. In order to make it a success, it would have to
be attended by some of the members of the local Hunt, and not in any way
bear the stamp of a charity ball; for untravelled middle-class people in
this country are, as a rule, very "select," and eaten up with social
ambition, and many who would not think of attending a subscription
dance, would be attracted by "an invitation Hunt ball." Besides, after
all, even if local residents and farmers pay their guinea to be present
at an annual Hunt ball, they feel the