Oh,
happy rainy days in harvest time when, undisturbed by conscience, the
weary toilers stretch and slumber and wake to lark and chaff in careless
ease the long hours through!
In the Haleys' barn they were all gathered, gazing lazily and with
undisturbed content at the steady downpour that indicated an all-day
rest. Even Haley, upon whose crops the rain was teeming down, was
enjoying the rest from the toil, for most of the hay that had been cut
was already in cock or in the barn. Besides, Haley worked as hard as the
best of them and welcomed a day's rest. So let it rain!
While they lay upon the hay on the barn floor, with tired muscles
all relaxed, drinking in the fragrant airs that stole in from the
rain-washed skies outside, in the slackening of the rain two neighbours
dropped in, big "Mack" Murray and his brother Danny, for a "crack" about
things in general and especially to discuss the Dominion Day picnic
which was coming off at the end of the following week. This picnic
was to be something out of the ordinary, for, in addition to the usual
feasting and frolicking, there was advertised an athletic contest of
a superior order, the prizes in which were sufficiently attractive
to draw, not only local athletes, but even some of the best from the
neighbouring city. A crack runner was expected and perhaps even McGee,
the big policeman of the London City force, a hammer thrower of fame,
might be present.
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