SCHOOL DAYS
They quicken their pace when they get into the church-yard, for already they see the field thronged with country folk, the men in clean white smocks or velveteen or fustian coats, with rough plush waistcoats of many colors, and the women in the beautiful, long, scarlet cloak, the usual outdoor dress of west-country women in those days, and which often descended in families from mother to daughter, or in new-fashioned stuff shawls, which, if they would but believe it, don't become them half so well. The air resounds with the pipe and tabor, and the drums and trumpets of the showmen shouting at the doors of their caravans, over which tremendous pictures of the wonders to be seen within hang temptingly; while through all rises the shrill "root-too-too-too" of Mr. Punch and the unceasing pan-pipe of his satellite.
"Lawk a' massey, Mr. Benjamin!" cries a stout, motherly woman in a red cloak as they enter the field, "be that you? Well, I never! you do look purely. And how's the squire, and madam, and the family?"
Benjy graciously shakes hands with the speaker—who has left our village for some years, but has come over for veast day on a visit to an old gossip—and gently indicates the heir-apparent of the Browns.
"Bless his little heart! I must gi' un a kiss. Here Susannah! Susannah!" cries she, raising herself from the embrace, "come and see Mr. Benjamin and young Master Tom. You minds our Sukey, Mr. Benjamin?—she be growed a rare slip of a wench since you seen her, tho' her'll be sixteen come Martinmas. I do aim to take her to see madam to get her a place."
And Sukey comes bouncing away from a knot of old schoolfellows and drops a curtsey to Mr. Benjamin. And elders come up from all parts to salute Benjy, and girls who have been madam's pupils to kiss Master Tom. And they carry him off to load him with fairings; and he returns to Benjy, his hat and coat covered with ribands, and his pockets crammed with wonderful boxes which open upon ever new boxes and boxes, and popguns
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