while they kept a number of necessaries in stock , much of their business was conducted by means of lists : villagers would give mr. brown a list of what they needed , from potted meats to sheep-dip , from fish-knives to chimney-tiles ; a clerk at monday and brown 's would compile a master list of everything requested ; and then mr. monday would take the master list and a dray pulled by two huge shire horses , and he would set off for the nearest county town and return in a handful of days with the dray loaded high with goods of all description .