22 4 LOCH C RERAN. 



beyond all the brambles are resplendent in the richest 

 array of colours, from the deepest chocolate, through all 

 the variations, to the tenderest hues of yellow, and 

 mingled yellow, pink, and green. The sweet-peas, still 

 gay and vigorous, are not more really brilliant than these 

 leaves, and they so readily lend themselves to make a 

 trophy, in which the tints are retained with success, that 

 those who are not too much oppressed with the feeling 

 of decay, that seems to make autumn and its miracles of 

 colour a source of deep sadness to many, ought to cull 

 and arrange autumn leafery that they may recollect how 

 great is the power of Nature to confer pleasure on the eye. 

 It will lead them to look forward to the "fall of the leaf" 

 as an artistic revel, in which the bracken on the hill, the 

 ferns in the nooks, and the trees by stream and fell don 

 their ball dresses for one glorious " gathering in Brussels " 

 before their Waterloo. 



" I am glad to hear that you have sloes on your side," 

 remarked our friend, "for I feared that they would be a 

 complete failure this year, and we should get none at all. 

 Now I mean to have a hunt after them the first 

 opportunity." A hunt after sloes, we thought, as we 

 looked at the grave and reverend seignior, who had bellies 

 to fill with more substantial viands ; and so you have 

 preserved a boyish love for a woodland ramble, or a 

 particular fancy for sloe jelly ! There was a knowing 

 smile of satisfaction on the face, however, as the word 

 "bitters" escaped him, and we were fully prepared to 

 accept his statement that sloes made an admirable tonic 

 with a due proportion of whisky, with a snap " that 

 cleaned the mouth." Hitherto we have had pleasant 

 memories of a famous teapot, with a dexterous admixture 

 of camomile and gentian, and a suspicion of Turkey 



