[The author grew up at Dreibeck, the family farm, in North Yorkshire]

For lambing time we were joined by a local vagabond, who slept in a hay loft with his “lil’e dawg”. He was always clean, and went about singing [the popular love song] ‘Bonnie Mary of Argyle’ in a loud raucous voice, but he was quiet and good with sheep. He always went away better dressed than he came, and would go on a drinking spree when he left us.