THE SIX OF SPADES. 33 



grimaces of direful but unconscious ugliness, as would 

 have established the reputation of a clown for life ! 

 On either side of this mirror, but deserving a better 

 place, are some of Mr. Andrews's charming delinea- 

 tions of flowers and fruit among the latter a bunch 

 of grapes, once so lifelike and luscious to look upon, 

 that they might have been the identical bunch which 

 the American artist painted for his mother with such 

 extraordinary power, that the old lady was enabled to 

 manufacture from it three bottles and a half of most 

 delicious wine ; but now sadly disfigured by dust and 

 smoke, and rapidly changing their complexion from 

 pale Muscadines to black Hamburgs. Yet more 

 precious the prize cards commemorating the victories 

 won on the tented field. 



And now all is in readiness for our conclave, and 

 the members of our email society arrive. Before our 

 blazing fire, which roars a hearty bass to the mirthful 

 tenor of the kettle, is a table for our pipe and glass, 

 behind that table a roomy garden-seat, which will 

 accommodate four of our party, and on either side the 

 fireplace a spacious comfortable chair, the one allotted 

 to myself as president, and the other to Mr. Oldacre. 



Mr. Oldacre is the gardener at the Castle, and a 

 " grand old gardener," too, you will admit, as he 

 takes off his overcoat (he has walked two miles 

 through the park this winter's evening), and shows 

 you six feet of humanity, so handsome and so hale 

 that you feel proud of belonging to the genus man 

 generally, and to the species Englishman particularly. 

 Six feet high and straight as a Guardsman, though 

 he has seen the chestnut trees of his great avenue 

 4 



