She pointed out the fault, and found an
instructor from Evesham to give them a course of lessons, so that with
a new set of instruments they soon improved. It was difficult, at
first, to find a suitable place for practice. A neighbour, a little
doubtful as to their attainments, suggested the railway arch in one of
my meadows as a nice airy spot under cover, but later expressed doubts
as to the safety of the trains running overhead on account of the
violence of the commotion beneath! This, of course, was mere chaff,
for they soon became so efficient that a large room was found for them
in the village, and eventually they were annually engaged to perform
the musical programme at the Badsey, Aldington, and Wickhamford Flower
Show. My gardener was the leading spirit of the Band, a great optimist
and the most willing man of any who ever reigned in my garden. There
was nothing he would not cheerfully undertake, and when we had a
difficulty in finding a sweep as required, he volunteered for the work
and became quite an adept, with the set of rods and brushes I bought
for the purpose.
Our postman, though not a villager, was quite an institution; he
walked a matter of ten miles a day from Evesham to Bretforton, taking
Aldington and Badsey on the way, and back at night. He filled up the
interval between the incoming and outgoing posts at Bretforton,
working at his trade as tailor.
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