accepted with good humour. They got up a new set of sports, as funny as possible, but all capable of being carried on in good-nature. These they provided for Monday instead of Sunday. Our landlord described some of the games or frolics which he invented or introduced. Indeed he seems to have been master of the ceremonies. One of these was a kind of social tar-and-feathering. A lot of fellows would stand up in a cart or wagon and daub each other with treacle instead of tar, then shake on a coat of feathers, until they looked like great owls but not so sober and human. Another sport was equally odd and unique, especially for full-grown men who had children at home. It was the jumping in sacks. A number of men would get each into a large wheat bag, with his head sticking out of the mouth gathered up around his neck ready for the race. When the signal was given, the platoon of bags would begin their frog-like jumps towards the goal, jostling each other on the way; some falling like sacks of bran, tripping up others, and making the crowd of spectators split their sides with laughter at their grotesque antics. A third entertainment was climbing a greased pole for a leg of mutton or a flitch of bacon. It was a poor chance for the first climbers after the prize, for they had to contend with the fresh grease in their ascent; but after several had made the trial the pole became
