186 SPOKT IN NOETH AMERICA. 



by a black, who took tbe borse's bead, and wc 

 jumped out of tbe waggon. 



" This is an old friend, Mary,^' said Mead, '' and 

 I recommend bim to your care; and tbese, my boy, 

 are my excellent bousekeeper Mary, and my faitbful 

 Tingo, wbo's as cute as be's black.'^ 



Thus saying, Mead led tbe way into tbe parlour 

 of tbe cottage, a little snuggery of some sixteen 

 square yards, with a table in tbe middle, and a large 

 fire-place in the Tudor style. Against tbe wall, 

 opposite tbe fire-place, was an oak sideboard, witb 

 bright pewter dishes, glasses, plates, and two flower 

 vases filled witb magnolias, verbenas,' and water- 

 lilies. Three engravings, representing hunting 

 subjects, and simply framed, bung against tbe 

 walls, and, above tbe mantel- piece, two stag's horns 

 turned upside down,* supported four guns in excel- 

 lent condition. In one of tbe corners of tbe room 

 were ranged fishing apparatus of all kinds, and a 

 casting-net quite dry and in a perfect state of 

 repair. 



Mary served us an excellent meal, consisting 

 of delicious salmon, trout, roasted woodcocks, &c., 

 followed by a glorious plum-pudding, and washed 

 down witb a bottle of claret, that would not have 

 disgraced a first-rate Paris restaurant. 



* The antlers of the American deer curve downwards ; so that 

 in order to use them for supporting anything, they must be 

 reversed. 



