ch. iv.] REMINISCENCES. 75 



attentions she required, such as to be let in at the door, or 

 out at the verandah window, to bark at " naughty people," 

 a self-imposed daty she much enjoyed. She died, or rather 

 had to be killed, a few days after his death.* 



My father's mid-day walk generally began by a call at 

 the greenhouse, where he looked, at any germinating seeds 

 or experimental plants which required a casual examination, 

 but he hardly ever did any serious observing at this time. 

 Then he went on for his constitutional either round the 

 " Sand-walk," or outside his own grounds in the immediate 

 neighbourhood of the house. The " Sand- walk " was a nar- 

 row strip of land 1% acre in extent, with a gravel- walk round 

 it. On one side of it was a broad old shaw with fair-sized 

 oaks in it, which made a sheltered shady walk ; the other 

 side was separated from a neighbouring grass field by a low 

 quickset hedge, over which you could look at what view 

 there was, a quiet little valley losing itself in the upland 

 country towards the edge of the Westerham hill, with hazel 

 coppice and larch plantation, the remnants of what was 

 once a large wood, stretching away to the Westerham high 

 road. I have heard my father say that the charm of this 

 simple little valley was a decided factor in his choice of a 

 home. 



The Sand-walk was planted by my father with a variety 

 of trees, such as hazel, alder, lime, hornbeam, birch, privet, 

 and dogwood, and with a long line of hollies all down the 

 exposed side. In earlier times he took a certain number of 

 turns every day, and used to count them by means of a heap 

 of flints, one of which he kicked out on the path each time 

 he passed. Of late years I think he did not keep to any 

 fixed number of turns, but took as many as he felt strength 

 for. The Sand-walk was our play-ground as children, and 

 here we continuallv saw my father as he walked round. He 

 liked to see what we were doing, and was ever ready to 

 sympathise in any fun that was going on. It is curious to 

 think how, with regard to the Sand- walk in connection with 

 my father, my earliest recollections coincide with my latest ; 

 it shows the unvarying character of his habits. 



Sometimes when alone he stood still or walked stealthily 

 to observe birds or beasts. It was on one of these occasions 



* The basket in which she usually lay curled up near the fire in his study 

 is faithfully represented in Mr. Parson's' drawing given at the head of the 

 chapter. 



