MY SUMMER IX A GARDEN. 115 



I think I have said that we nave a 

 game-preserve. We keep quails, or try 

 to, in the thickly wooded, bushed, and 

 brushed ravine. This bird is a great 

 favorite with us, dead or alive, on ac 

 count of its tasteful plumage, its tender 

 flesh, its domestic virtues, and its 

 pleasant piping. Besides, although I 

 appreciate toads and cows, and all that 

 sort of thing, I like to have a game- 

 preserve more in the English style. 

 And we did. For in July, while the 

 game-law was on, and the young quails 

 were coming on, we were awakened one 

 morning by firing, musketry - firing, 

 close at hand. My first thought was, 

 that war was declared ; but, as I should 

 never pay much attention to war de 

 clared at that time in the morning, I 

 went to sleep again. But the occurrence 

 was repeated, and not only early in 

 the morning, but at night. There was 



