304- A WINTER'S EVENING. 



nates of the establishment, stable-boy, house- and cook -maid, 

 were accustomed, in the evening, to have a holiday with village 

 friends, under which circumstances Mistress Dove and Master 

 Caleb preferred the entertainment of us their guests in the 

 kitchen. 



In the kitchen, then, behold us, by firelight, Lucy and I, 

 and a large white cat. My uncle's dinner had been some 

 lime over; he and his two or three college chums were deep in 

 old port and youthful reminiscences. Dolly, having first 

 crowned the fire with an extra log, and set the tea-table, was 

 upstairs, preparing herself to do its honours, while Caleb, who 

 had something to do with everything, had gone out to see 

 that the visitors' horses were properly supped up ; and so it 

 \\as, that I and my little cousin and the large white cat were 

 left with none other visible company. 



It was a tempestuous winter's evening : the sleety rain came 

 every now and then pattering against the casement, and falling 

 in hissing drops upon the thirsty flames ; and when the showers 

 remitted of their battering violence, we only heard more plainly 

 the howl of the east wind in the tops of the old fir-trees round 

 the house, and the creaking of a rusty weathercock on an 

 adjacent dove-cot, with the sharp gallop of a hurried horse 

 upon the hard high road, followed by the angry bark of our 

 house-dog Keeper ; but of all these varied sounds, nearest and 

 most distinct, and diverting speedily our attention from them 

 all, was tin: chirp of a cricket from between the bricks of the 



