Across the budding sward Milton's beautiful verses in praise of May seemed to ring in my ears. In the far meadows, the rooks were cawing amongst the poplars, and over the Abbey pool a few swallows were skimming and catching flies-- [Sidenote: "HAIL! BOUNTEOUS MAY"] "Hail! bounteous May that dost inspire Mirth and youth and warm desire." The world seemed young again--old age a myth, and nature exceedingly fair. At last Bess's lines were ended, and my little maid made her curtesy and tripped back to me. Then the dancers stepped forward and the music broke out afresh into a merry jingle. They stood round the May-pole, advanced solemnly and made profound reverences. A few seconds later, the tinkling of the piano grew quicker and quicker, for the eight little maidens had all caught hold of each other's hands, and round and round they went as fast as youth and gaiety could take them. The people clapped, and the old folks broke forth into shrill laughter. Old Timothy beat the gravel with his stick, till Burbidge glared at him and muttered something disagreeable about "folks not being able to behave themselves;" whereupon my old guest hung his head and began to cough asthmatically. The dance pleased all so well, that Constance and her little _corps dramatique_ were obliged to go through the whole of it again. "It be better nor a ballet" said old Timothy. "I seed one once years agone at Shrewsbury Theatre, after the Crimean war; but this here be dancing on the green--and not dancing for money, but for pure joy." So away the little dancers footed it again. Even the little lads, who hitherto had remained stolid and apparently indifferent, caught something of the enthusiasm of the spectators, for at intervals they bowed with eagerness, and pointed and laughed at the little maidens, and ejaculated aloud, as they had been taught by Constance to do at the rehearsals, "Good, good, well done, Mistress Betty; excellently, madam," and so on, till, as a fond mother said, "Anybody might think as they had been born play-actors, for they took to mumming same as widdies (young ducks) do to water." When all was over, and even the tinkling piano was heard no more, Fremantle and footmen bearing trays of cake, beer, and milk appeared on the scene. As to the children, we made them stand in long lines on the paths, and gave them slices of cake and buns, and drinks of milk in the blue and white mugs of the country; but before they fell to, they repeated in chorus the old grace which Constance had found in praise of May merry-making. At last, not even the youngest little boy could eat any more, and gradually all my guests bowed and curtsied, and left the lawn, but old Timothy who was seized with a violent fit of coughing, leant feebly on his stick, and looked at me piteously out of his rheumy eyes.