54 The Tetcott Hunt CUeek. 



Sixty years ago, and even later, all fresh air, or, 



as it was then called, draught, was, as far as possible, 



excluded from the beds, which were four-posted, and 



had a top or canopy over them, extending their 



whole length, and from the canopy a deep valance 



and fringe drooped over six curtains, two on each 



side, and two at the foot. These curtains were 



carefully closed, and sometimes pinned together at 



night to make things snug. The steads or frames 



were higher than at present, and had on them a 



mattress and two feather beds, or " ties," so that 



there was not above four feet distance to top or 



canopy of bed. The space within the curtains was 



therefore limited, and the view very much so, which 



accounts for the vicar's high appreciation of the 



chariot windows. The beds were so high that three 



steps were placed at their side to enable aspirants to 



mount. 



I have seen a drawing — in Punch I think it is to 

 be found — of " Last in bed put out the light." It 

 represents a race between man and wife to do this 

 bit of climbing, which, in addition to the help of 

 steps, required a firm clutch at the bedclothes, and 

 some considerable effort of muscular power. In the 

 drawing the heads of the couple meet at the exact 

 centre of the bed ; so the race was a dead-heat, and 

 required to be run over again. 



