Hunting in the Golden Days. 7 



giving an air of home and comfort to the house. Down 

 the chimney hangs a series of pot hooks, where the iron 

 saucepan is suspended that contains pot-luck for the 

 hungry hunter. From a beam across the ceiling there 

 dangles a row of fine hams in canvas bags, which Mrs. 

 Stores, the housekeeper, has cured at home, for has she 

 not the chimney where all that appertains to the 

 mystery of bacon curing is conducted ? What a 

 comfortable old settle, too, with a high back that 

 keeps off draughts and makes things cosy. This 

 is the seat frequented by the gamekeeper or groom, 

 who, after a long day with their master across country 

 or through the turnips, may enjoy a meal there by 

 invitation. All these things were part and parcel ot 

 country house life when agriculture was in a more 

 prosperous state than in the present day, and land- 

 lords were able to live on rents received from their 

 farms. 



The reception rooms of the Grange are not exactly 

 spacious, but there is plenty of room for the dispensa- 

 tion of English hospitality, and a charming suspicion of 

 former times still lingers about them, recalling the 

 days of hair powder, high heels, and ruffles. Strange 

 tales are told of mysterious noises heard in the 

 corridors at dead of night — the rustle of silk gowns and 

 jingle of spurs being described as some of them. An 

 affrighted guest, who was on a visit to the Grange for a 

 fortnight, hearing these sounds, packed his box at 

 break of day, vowing that important business compelled 

 him to return to town at once. Mr. Goodbery, however, 

 has never heard any of these noises, although he has 

 lived in the house all his life, and he attributed them to 

 the cold pork and pickles his friend had been eating for 

 supper. No doubt, once in bed, Goodbery sleeps too 



