St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1884-10-19
ENGLISH VILLAGE LEE.
Il Great Change am the Condition of the
English PeasHHtrD.

English PeasHHtry.
GA Villager'' writes to the London Daily
Negs: Everyone is cognizant that within
quite recent times great change has come
over country life. 1t is not so long since
merry England was synonymous with rural
England. 1t is so no longer The rustic
takes his pleasure less frequently and with
some sadness. The fairs, one or more in a
year afforded on their holiday side welcome
relief to the solid portion of the year. The
revel-as the dedication festival of tie
church is called in these parts-extended
over several days. Beginning on the Friday
with -baking-a portion of the proceedings
specially delightful to the women-it was
protracted generally TO the follow
ing Tuesday. Dancing to the strains
scraped by the village fiddler, bouts at wrest-
linz for which prizes were given, contests
at skittlcs and other rustic sports marked the
progress Of the gala and ''bcguiled the lazy
time" Now these recurring festivals are
either dead or maintain only q sickly exis-
tencc. One would not wish to see them
revived in many of their features Their
observance comes down from barbarous
times, and through days that permitted cock
fguting ana patroniZed the prize ring, con-
tanned much that was repellant even disgust
lug. One cannot regret their death, or
dying state. But one does regret that while
these means of tightening the load Of life
have been passing away, no others have
been found TO take their place Here we
have nothing to relieve the iveong year but
the annual club feasts, the chapel anniver-
sares, and the harvest thanksgiving. The
club feasts are confined to plain dinner of
meat and pudding, eaten not in the greatest
comfort, nor always with the best
of manners. The dinner Overland
takes place about noon-the members and
their friends somewhat at loss what to
do They can neither go home nor loiter
about the street, finding such amusement as
can be found in swing boats, shooting
stands, and the lion-faced lady, Perhaps an
attempt is made at dancing on the rough
road to the strains blurted out by a brass
band imported for the day. But the major
ity, is it to be wondered! drift into the pub
lie house, and there, the time being ample,
fail not in more than one instance to hope
lesslv muddle aud mar themselves. Long
ere night compels each one to his home, the
streets are scenes of noisy revelry and dis
order. Of the chapel anniversaries and har-
vest banksgivings the only secular feature
is the public tea This, though popular, is
not calculated to afford much relief to the
dull routine of life.
This decline in rustic mirthfulness is OBJ
servable not only in the extraordinary
amusements Of the peasantry, but is observ-
able in their daily life as well. And it is
traceable through all ages. When | was a
child, the top, the hoop. knuckebones,
and marbles, to say nothing of other play
things which it provokes a smile now to re-
member, were sources of amusement return
ing with the returning seasons of the year,
and to which the village youth heartily de-
voted themselves. Now, l have not seen a
hoop trundled, top spun, or a game of
knucklebones played for years, and only
once, it was last year, game of marbles.
The children Of tender years toddle about. the
street, wallow in the water channel, possibly
pollute the wells. The age for admission to
the village school is three; but not few
mothers, for the moderate fee of five pence
a week, send their little ones before that age.
They thus get rid of them, their presence in
the house being an embarrassment, and their
unattended wanderinss in the street not
devoid OF danger. But their presence, trans
ferr "a from the cottage to the school, is not
entirely desirable there. They can hardly
con luce TO the teachableness of the other
chillren, and the best thing they can do is
TO fail asleep. 1t would be much better if
these-lttle beings could be gathered together
in some room with play ground attached.
There; in either of these, according as the
weather was wet or fine, they could play
unler the charge of some aged dame. Their
tender minds might receive such training as
they are capable Of from the contemplation
of simple objects, and the duty
of kindness to animals, with
love of flowers, be early inculcated.
The children of older growth are not less
at loss for amusement. Occasionally
one sees them setting up in the street small
pins OF their own fashioning, and with
rude ball attempting a game of skittles.
But more frequently, and this particularly
on Sunday, they gather at the street cor
ners and set themselves on the door steps
From these posts of vantage they regard the
moving scene, and address the passers-by
with rude and ribald bandinage. The girls
seem to be even worse off for means of
diversion than the lads. When their work is
intermitted in the evening they have no
resource but to wander about the streets and
out beyond them. Boys, young men, fol-
low them. Probably they pair off. l am
not going to say that there is anything in
this necessarily fatal to morality; but, cast
ing my mind back over several years, I can
recall bat two weddings that have not been
precipitated by the forward condition of the
bride. And these two were remark
able. In one the bridegroom was
verging upon eighty; in the other
the bride was past GO. If exceptions may
generally be said to prove the rule, these
surely may. But this absence of ANYTHING
rational to amuse or instruct their minds,
with necessity laid upon them of looking to
admiration as the only svailable sweetness
OF lie, acts yet again injuriously upon the
girls in village. 1t induces love, passing
to extremes, of fnery The considerable
earnings which they make at their home in
dustry would allow, after deducing the trife
their parents claim for board and lodging
ana all necessary expenditures, of consid-
cradle savings. But these should-be saw
ings so in dress. Il even happens, and not
unfrequently, that girl on getting married
brings to her new state burden of debt.
The packman is the creditor. johnny Fort
night as be is locally called, comes round
at intervals of two weeks to collect INSTALL
ments of debts due, aud to persuade to fresh
ones. Thus the means of recreation st the
service OF the young villager are not many
or Of the best. They are poor at anv time;
poor even when the land is laughing with sun
SHINE and the long day is protracted to bed
time. But now the winter is before us. and
already the evenings close in early. Soon
the brief working day viii pass almost d.
reetly into night. Al through this winter
with the exception of such gayety as is az
forGed for few hours by Christmas tree.
no distraction of a special kind viii relieve
the Greariness. The monotony viii other
wise be unhroken. The boy must still lounge
aud loiter, the girl seek her diversion in
ramhles with lover whose years are not vet
years OF discretion. To the danger from
youthfulness viii be added the danger of