Morning journal and courier., 1893-10-21
don of Kent divides instantly and sharply

sion Of Kent divides instantly and sharply
into three grand divisions
The frst comprises the Kentish rural
and village folk. These are favorites with
the masters. They include the entire fam
ilies of the farm lAborers, the hedge build
ers, the drsin-la the hop dryers and
all countrywide folk; while from the vii.
lage comes the painter, the shoemaker, the
ssddlsr, the carpenter, the bricklnyer and
stone-mason, and all their families; while
have even seen the family of the school
master and the poor country curate not
ashamed 10 thus add to their yearly dole.
Separate fields are nearly always given to
these folk. Among them you will and
most interesting groups; lusty youths,
handsome lAsses, fine and rugged old men
and women, and some of the peachIest
and prettieet children in all England. To
these the hop-gsthering days have bright,
genial, almost social aspect. When the
days work is over, as they trail along the
lanes and highways 10 their village homes,
they form wonderfully pastoral groupings,
fitting 90 oharaoterfully into the mellow
and reposeful Kentsh autumnal landscape,
that II In pity the near worlds metropo-
lie has no artist heart and hand to transfer
to canvas their marvellous simplicity and
winsomeness.
Another class numbering all told from
three to Eve thousand souls, whose guest
have always besn whenever visiting she
hop-gardens of Kent, are the London and
suburban gipsy van dEellers. have pre-
yiousiy written extendedly of this ciass
Its members, living In vans or house wag-
ons of every conceivable description, cir
Gle around and around the outer edges of
the great city; lowering like birds of prey
near race-trscks, outing resorts and all
places where crowds of the lowly may
gather. am glad TO ssT that while any
dukkering and diokering among the hop
garden throngs is never overlooked by
them, that they always come here for hon
est work: They travel in their oreaking
vans which contain all that may be re-
quired for food and cooking; pitch their
hooded tents or "whummel" their single
carts for additional housing; are adopts at
all the little shifts and exigencies of out
door living; are really the best conditioned
OF all the foreigners" who sweep In upon
Kent; and as to morality and common de.
| oency, which are generally utterly Aban-
boned In the hoppers' camps, they are In
fnitely superior to all others who come.
They are quick, deft, silent. They are the
fastest, cleaneet piokers In Kent; and
have frequently known q single large fam
lily return from their seasons work with az
much as twenty pounds with which to as
NAS-4 ~ NAaAbS otSA hAc W thCAA OAtNct
winter months.
But oh, that other mob that comes down
from the purlieus of Lendonl Sometime
l shall write a story about the pestilential
lot. To truly tell of It's awful hordei
without the tender lights of romance with
| which to search ont and reveal redeemipe
traits, would be to commit an unforsivs
bly, revolving literary crime Bestial vo
men, men more brutal than brutes, with
few exceptions, are these. Among the ex
ceptions / have come upon the most inter.
estiDg phases of character met In sll my
years of wandering. In all the others NJ
wsDderer since the world began ever found
more hopelessly sodden or desperately
| wicked animals In human frames. NJ
wonder the masters herd them In the de
serted sheds of their cattle, in straw hut
behind the hills, or In tented camps tina
| may subsequently be burned, by the road
side as far as possible from the peacefu
old Kentish country homes. Their aid 4
necessary. Their presence Is blight snt
curse. While such are here, Ii Ia onl,
when you can shut them out of mind snC
sight, that you can realize that the air 1
full of odorous thyme; that the musk o
the ten thousands of hop-gsrdens bring
tie sweetest of all repose, and that In K'
other land beneath the stars does labor anC
night invite the tired one to such won
dIously life-giyIng snd ever dreamles
sleep as among the besuteous hop garden
| of ancient Kent.
| EDGAR L. WAKEMAN.