The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1900-09-04


country for hunting, and every squire
and many a yeoman ride 10 hounds. OF
the Dorset squire it has been wittily
said that he begins life with twelve
horses and one child, and ends 1t with
twelve children and one horse--a say
ing which contains at least q nodicum
of truth. A story showing true devo-
ton to sport is told of Press, the fine
whip OF the Blackmore Vale. One day
he asked the NJ. f. Fl. for a day off, and
inquiry being made as to why he want
ed ii. the reply was that he was going
to get married. The M. F. III. very nat
urally suggested that Press should take
two or three days at least. But this he
did not want at all; and when he was
asked how he proposed to spend the
one day he was proposing to set apart
for his wedding, the answer was that
he intended ito take the missus out for
drive with the sick hounds
Canon Dayman who for half a centu-
~ was rector of Shillingstone, pub
| lished in early life a metrical and schol-
arly translation of the Inferno and
in later years for long period repre-
scented a part of the diocese in the bliss
full realm of convocation. Amusing as
we'll as learned, I remember his telling
a story Of one of his parishioners, whom
he found, one cold, wet and windy
night, standing shivering under the
archWay which spans the high road
over which the Somerset and Dorset
railway runs at Shillingstone. Wonder
| ing what the man could be doing stand
ing on a cold. wet night in the most
| draughty place imaginable, the canon
asked him what he did there, and the
| reply was please, sir. ! be going to
sing bass next Sunday in the anthem,
and ! be trying to catch a hooze"
| lwheeze).
Times were rougher in those days
than now. "Hangings" We're then
| looked forward to as pleasant break
in the dullness of life Said an old
Dorset shepherd, pointing to where the
gibbet stood on the Wild downs near
Cranbourne, IA hanging was a pretty
sight when I were a boy, for the sher-
iff and javelin men came a horseback
and they all stopped for refreshment at
the inn near by. as they'd come a long
way, and we all had drink" And
did the man who was going to be
hanged have anything Lord; yes,
sir; as much strong beer as he liked,
and we all drank his health; and then
they hanged him and buried him by the
gibbet."
A widower in somewhat prominent
position in life had inscribed upon his
late wfe's tomb, THE light Of mine
eyes is gone from me-" Taking unto
himself a second wife with remarkable
promptitude, O Dorset yokel scrawled
as his comment upon the text set forth
upon the tablet, But ne soon struck
another match"
Dorset cheese, locally known as "blue
vinny," enjoys doubtful reputation.
When first made 1t is of the color and
almost the consistency of the chalk
which underlies the, Dorset downs. At
ter keeping a while it takes on a pale,
blue veined (vinneyid appearance, and
becomes though always hard, more pal
atable. William Barnes, after reading
some Of his poems one evening to a
large gathering of the Dorset militia,
propounded riddle which went home
to them. Tell me, my men, said he,
why the Dorset militia is like blue
vinny?' Because" he added, they'll
both stand fire. and never run His
joke at the unmeltng moods of Dorset
cheese was thoroughly appreciated.
Another story anent blue vinny relates
how. two Dillingham; farmers differing
a to the merits of blue vInny. the de-
tractor of its qualities offered to bet
the other sovereign that he could not
get two Dorset cheeses stolen. The bet
being taken, ii was arranged that at
bedtime a cheese should be left on the
doorstep when the house was locked
up. to see If any one would take il
away by the morning. Next morning
the cheese was gone. to the great de-
light Of the hacker of blue vinny, and
the following night the second cheese
was duly locked out on the doorstep.
Next day, to his chagrin, both cheeses
lay side by side on the doorstep.
A great character among the shep-
herds of Dorest was one Nat Scale.
A solitary shepherd upon the downs Of
Dorset, through his long life of four
score years and the, he was brimful of
native wit Religious topics were not
to his mind The curate of Fordington.
where the old shepherd spent the last
few years of his life, tried on many oc-
caslons to get Nat" to talk on religi-
Gus subjects, but he always turned the
conversation. AT last, one day the Gu
rate got him so far as to speak to him
of Christ, when the old man. turning
upon him, said: We'll. He were the
Good Shepherd, weren't He?" The Gu
rate asserting, the old shepherd added,
with strong emphasis, Well, | tell lee |
what | believe. | don't believe as one |
shepherd will ever round upon another
savoring something of the
philosophy of Omar, the tent maker, |
He's a good fellow, and twill all be |
Well So ended this portion of their |
conversation, and not another word |
would the old shepherd say upon the |
subject, -Cornhill Magazine.
THE IDENTIFICATION OFFICE IN