Jasper County Democrat, Volume 4, Number 40, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 11 January 1902 — OLD-TIME ENGLISH CUSTOM. [ARTICLE]

OLD-TIME ENGLISH CUSTOM.

Buckinghamshire’s Ancient Way of Engaging Necessary Farm Hands. An interesting survival of the oldtime “hirings” was observed at High Wycombe yesterday on the occasion of the Michaelmas Fair. According to annual custom, which can be traced back two or three centuries, men and women, young and old, desirous of changing their situations, gathered from all parts of Bucks and Berks and places farther off, and stood In the market place for the inspection of farmers and their wires who were In want of servants. The cowmen and shepherds wore tufts of hair or wool In their caps to denote their calling, while plowmen and team boys were distinguished by knots of whipcord worn in a similar manner. Uhere was “haggling” in some cases over wages, the employer coming off worse In those sections of the agricultural Industry In which there is a scarcity of labor. There were not many “old hands,” a fact which showed that when once a farm laborer gets Into a comfortable situation he Is not anxious to make a change. The milkmaids and domestic servants seemed fewer than ever, and they were able to command good wages. As soon as they were engaged the hired men and maidens donned bright-colored ribbons. Business was completed by noon, and after that the crowd proceeded to a meadow to spend as much of the “Michaelmas allowance” from their late employer as they felt disposed.—Pall Mall Gazette.