The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1891-05-22
FIVE HUNDRED YEARS AGO.
Sports aud Winter Pastimes In ",-sxrIe
England" in Bygone Times.


England" In Bygone Times.
|
Every season has its pleasures for
!, boys, and the constant change that
they bring is one of the greatest de-
lights Of boyhood's days.
All of us, as we grow older, have in
our memory pictures of by-gone times
that are somehow more than usually
vivid. the colors of some not blurring
by time as others do. One, to look
back upon which always filled Myles's
heart in after years with an indefinable
pleasure, was the recollection of stand
/ ing with others of his fellow-squires in
the crisp brown autumn grass of the
paddock, while the russell leaves
whirled and drifted from the trees and
the hedges beyond. and shooting with
the long-bow at wild-fowl. which, when
the east wind was straining. flew low
overhead to pitch to the lake in the
forbidden precincts of the deer park
beyond the brow of the hill. More
than once brace or so of these wild
fowl, shot in their southwark flight by
the lads. and cooked by fat. good
natured Mother Joan, graced the rude
mess-table of the squires in the long
hall, and even the toughest and fishiest
drake, so it was the fruit of their skill,
had SAVIOR that somehow or other the
daintiest fare lacked in after-years.
Then fall passed and winter came
bleak, cold. and dreary. Not winter
as we know it nowadays, with warm
fires and bright lights to make the
long nights sweet and cheerful with
comfort, but winter in all its grimness
and sternness. In the great cold stone
walled castles of those days the only
fire aud the only light were those from
the huge blazing logs that roared and
cracked in the great open stone fire.
place, around which the folks gath
cred. sheltering their faces as best they
could from the scorching heat, and
cloaking their shoulders from the Bit
ing cold. for at the farther end of the
room. where giant shadows swayed
and bowed and danced huge and black
against the high walls. the white frost
glistened in the moonlight on the stone
pavements, and the breath went up
like smoke.
There were no cheerful lights and
no books to read, but at the best only
rude stories and jests, recited by some
stroliing hummer or minstrel to She
listening circle gathered around the
blaze, welcoming the coarse, gross
jests. and cOarser, grosser songs, with |
coars of boisterous laughter.
Yet bleak and dreary as was the
ing as was the frost in the cherries
windy halls aud corridors of the cas-
tie, it was not without its joys to the
young lads; for then, as now, boys |
could find pleasure even in slushy
weather, when the sodden snow is fit
for nothing but to make snowballs of.
Thrice that bitter winter the moat
was frozen over, and the lads. making
themselves skates of marrow-bones,
which they bought from the hall cook
at a groat pair, went skimminG over
the smooth surface, red-cheeked and
shouting. while the crows and jack
davis looked down at them from the
top of the bleak gray walls.
Then at Yule-tide. which was some
what of rude semblance to the Merry
Christmas season of our day. great
feast was held in the hall, and all the
castle folk were fed in the presence of
the Earl and the Countess. Oxen and
sheep were roasted whole; huge suet
buildings, made of barley meal sweet
ened with honey and stuffed with
plums, were boiled in great caldrons
in the Open court-yard; whole barrels
of ale and malmsey were preached,
and all the folks, gentle and simple
were hidden to the feast. Afterward [
the MINISTRIES danced and played
rude play. and in the evening mira !
Gle show was performed on raised
platform in the north hall.
For week afterward the castle was
fed upon the remains of the good {
things left from that great feast, until I
every one grew to loathe fine victuals. 1
and longed for honest beef and mus
tard again.
Then at last in that constant change '
the winter was gone, and even tie lads ]
who had enjoyed its passing were glad
when the winds blew warm once more, {
and the grass showed green in sunny '
places, and the leader of the wild-fowl {
blew his horn, as they who in the fall {
had flown to the south flew arrow-like {
northward again; when the buds
swelled and the leaves burst forth |
once more, and crocuses and then daft I
fodils cleaned in the green grass, like 9
sparks and flames of gold. I
With the spring came the outdoor
sports of the season; amongst others s
that of ball-for boys were boys, and |
played at ball even in those far-away
iays-a game called trap-ball. Even i
yet in some parts of England it is S
played just as it was in Myles Fall l
Torth's day, and enjoyed just as Myles {
and his friends enjoyed it.-RoWard 6
Pyle, in Harper's Young People. '