The record-union., 1897-07-11


the fact
That is very true" remarked tns
parson, as he stroked his beard thought
fully Tt certainly is not in bloom
and it certainly will not be in bloom
by the day after tomorrow. Never
mind, there is still some blackthorn II
the hedge; we will make believe thai
it is hawthorn Don't mention to any
one, Harry, that it is not hawthorn.
There viii be no need to mention
it" said the painter with a grin, I'VE
shall impose upon nobody"
Have you got all the new ribbons
for the Maypole dance?"
Yes, two inches in width, and 2ol
yards in length. The bill comes to
Mr.. Curtice glanced at his study door
to satisfy himself that it was shut.
There will be no need to mention
the exact sum- he said. Il will pu1
the bill in my desk here
And the May-pole is very tall - yot
would have it tall, you know It's
regular mast. 1t cost exactly"
quite so, quite so, Clifton. We shall
get subscriptions, of course"
We've been round to several of the
farmers. Mr.. Gee was very surly al
first, but he ended by promising half
crown when he had threshed his frs1
corn at Michaelmas. Mr. Emmens mel
US halfway; he gave us a donation
without even being asked for it,
Very good, indeed" cried Mr.. Cur
tice gleefully.
"It is twelve pence half-penny. He
dropped the half-penny with his tobacco
pouch, and generously added it to his
gift"
But there are lots more people t6
ask, my dear boy"
Mr.. Wilson, Mr.. Harman, Mr.. Pugf
and Mr.. Jinks have all refused. Mrs
Jinks will send a cake for the tea"
"A cake!" murmured the parson. "Tea
is ordered for 40 people at sixpenct
a head. It's a mercy it wasn't dinner
And if you come to think of it, Mrs
Jinks' cake will benefit only the con-
tractor"
Il have no doubt that Mrs. Jinks' ex-
cellent common sense will point thai
possibility out to- her in good time, ano
that cake will be withdrawn. But WE
mustn't approach an occasion of this
sort in grudging spirit, Harry. There
is no necessity, though, for us to men
ton the amount of our subscriptions
nor the lack of them. We will take
it for granted that they will be greatly
augmented Is Maid Marian perfect II
her part now?''
Pretty we'll; but she insists in max
ing eyes at F'riar Tuck instead of Robin
Hood
Il fear she is a very frivolous girl
sighed NJ Curtice But. at any rate
it's a comfort that we've got some OF
the village young men to take part II
the play. 1t would be wretched to have
anything short of the real thing"
4 could only get them to take part
in it by promising that in the Flax
Piece there should be concealed large
barrel Of"
Never mind the Details said the
parson, hurriedly; 1.-The point is thai
they have consented. l think myself
though, that the Cow Leas would be
more private"
II was afraid that if they went as fa1
as the Cow Leas between the scenes
we should never get them back again
There's hollow oak in the Flax Piece
$50 there is; so there is. 1t will be
impossible for me to distinguish what
is going on inside it. And now what
is there still to arrange?"
Everything was ready.
The morning broke mistily, promising
a brilliant day. AT dawn Elsie and he1
brothers, with Harry Clifton and the
under housemaid, sailed forth from the
Vicarage singing a May Day carol
which was to be the text Of the days
revels. Every man, woman and child
in the village had been made familiar
with it; it had been taught in the
village school, roared on the cricket
ground, played by every concertina ir
Wanfield (and they were legion), anC
drummed into the local band. The
young people made the circuit Of the
village singing this chant, which was
to be the signal for a general uprisa
and adjournment to the woods and
iowery meadows. They were joined by
Tom Lance, one of the young farmers
who had been pressed into the service
but by no other person. They made q
second circuit, and then took counsel
of each other.
Bother all this said Jack Curtice
'its worse than school. l want my
breakfast"
They all went back a little gloomily
to the Vicarage, and the under house
maid brought them some milk and
bread and butter. 1t was not yet 4
O'Clock. They set off on another round
of the village, singing their song
May Day is breaking; up, up and away
A curtain was drawn aside at a cot
tage window as they passed, and a
careful hand took pains to conceal the
whole of its owner except the voice
Please, Miss, I'm comm when I've
dressed myself an all the children
'She has five brothers and six sis
ters," groaned Harry Clifton, 'all be-
tween the ages of three and seven"
This is tommy said Jack Curtice
I'm going back to bed"
They went back with some sorrow
yet not quite unwiIlingly; and they al
came down late for breakfast except
Tom Lance, who was presumably still
on the village green where they had
left him.
The revels had been announced to
begin at o'clock. Punctually to the
moment the Vicarage party sailed
forth for the twentieth time that day
singing their May chant. They had
sung it many times; they had sung il
in the forenoon when they gathered
late primroses from the woods to COM
plete the decking of the may-pole; they
had sung it in the Flax Piece, where
all the pewters from the village inn
had been collected; in the Butts Close;
even as far away as the Cow Leas and
the Ok Leas. where flags marked out
the course for a steeplechase Every
body was singing the air throughout
the village: