74 AN AMERICAN PARKER IN ENGLAND. 



eye. Fair and stout ; elderly a little silver in her hair, just 

 showing its otherwise thick blackness to be no lie ; a broad-frilled, 

 clean, white cap and collar, and a black dress. Ah ha ! one of 

 the widows that we have read of. We hesitate to cross the clean- 

 scoured, buff, tile floor with our muddy shoes ; but she draws 

 arm-chairs about the grate, and lays slippers before them, stirs 

 up the fire, though it is far from needing it, and turns to take our 

 knapsacks. " We must be fatigued it's not easy walking in the 

 rain ; she hopes we can make ourselves comfortable." 

 There is every prospect of it. 



