The early part of that May, as we have seen, was fine; the middle was wet; but in the last week, at change of moon, it cleared again. A fresh wind swept off the silver-white, deep-piled rain-clouds, bearing them, mass on mass, to the eastern horizon, on whose verge they dwindled, and behind whose rim they disappeared, leaving the vault behind all pure blue space, ready for the reign of the summer sun. That sun rose broad on Whitsuntide. The gathering of the schools was signalized by splendid weather.
Whit-Tuesday was the great day, in preparation for which the two large schoolrooms of Briarfield, built by the present rector, chiefly at his own expense, were cleaned out, whitewashed, repainted, and decorated with flowers and evergreens--some from the rectory garden, two cartloads from Fieldhead, and a wheel-barrowful from the more stingy domain of De Walden, the residence of Mr. Wynne. In these schoolrooms twenty tables, each calculated to accommodate twenty guests, were laid out, surrounded with benches, and covered with white cloths. Above them were suspended at least some twenty cages, containing as many canaries, according to a fancy of the district, specially cherished by Mr. Helstone's clerk, who delighted in the piercing song of these birds, and knew that amidst confusion of tongues they always carolled loudest. These tables, be it understood, were not spread for the twelve hundred scholars to be assembled from the three parishes, but only for the patrons and teachers of the schools. The children's feast was to be spread in the open air. At one o'clock the troops were to come in; at two they were to be marshalled; till four they were to parade the parish; then came the feast, and afterwards the meeting, with music and speechifying in the church.

In the last week of May, the weather cleared. A fresh wind swept off the deep-piled rain-clouds, bearing them, mass on mass, to the eastern horizon, leaving the vault behind all pure blue space, ready for the reign of the summer sun. That sun rose broad on Whitsuntide.
Whit-Tuesday was the great day of the gathering of the schools. In preparation, the two large schoolrooms of Briarfield were cleaned, whitewashed, and decorated with flowers and evergreens - some from the rectory garden, and two cartloads from Fieldhead.
In these schoolrooms twenty tables, each calculated to seat twenty guests, were laid out, surrounded with benches, and covered with white cloths. Above them were suspended some twenty cages containing canaries, according to a fancy of the district. These tables were not spread for the twelve hundred scholars of the three parishes, but only for the patrons and teachers. The children's feast was to be spread in the open air. At one o'clock the troops were to come in; at two they were to be marshalled; till four they were to parade through the parish; then came the feast, and afterwards the meeting with music and speeches in the church.
