THE RESIDENTS 107 



invitations ; when the beams and rafters of the huge 

 barn disappear in the foliage of the evergreens, and 

 festoons of dahlias and sunflowers ; when the barrel of 

 home-brewed is broached ; when the oxen and fatlings 

 are killed, and poultry and pigeons are slaughtered by the 

 score ; when the Squire, though unaccustomed to public 

 speaking, takes the chair, supported by his familiar 

 friends makes half a dozen of short but sententious 

 orations amid vociferous applause, and then solemnly 

 proceeds to open the ball, which is kept up with un- 

 diminished vigour through the small hours. And then 

 there are the battues in autumn and winter ; when every 

 man who has the faintest pretension makes interest to 

 be enrolled in the regiment of beaters, when the toils of 

 the day are broken by the repast under the greenwood 

 tree, and when the triumphs of the bag are crowned in 

 the evening by a sporting supper in the servants' hall. 



We need not go the round of the surrounding houses 

 that are still inhabited by families long settled in the 

 county, and of the sundry substantial mansions in the 

 town, occupied by scions of county houses, by retired 

 officers, et id genus omne. All of these have stepped 

 naturally into their places, and with all of them the 

 Squire is on friendly or cordial terms. But his betes 

 noires are the new men who have been encroaching on 

 the neighbourhood in virtue of purchase, and the anti- 

 pathies he cherishes in their regard are shared by 

 the humble classes around. More than one of them 

 have paid a heavy price for most beautiful situations 

 with most incommodious residences. They have 



