LITERARY AND DOMESTIC LIFE. 297 



to it. The b:dl in the evening was apparently a pleasant one, but 

 thin, as it was only fixed that morning that there was to be one. 

 At twelve o'clock the mail came in, and I went down myself to the 

 Post-Office, and got the postmaster to open the bag, and, lo and be- 

 hold, your letter of Tuesday, which took a load of needless anxiety 

 off my soul. God bless you ! I returned to the inn, and Barber 

 took me immediately in his chaise to Elleray, which we reached 

 about two, and had a little supper ; he then went on, and I to bed. 

 "I am now preparing, after sound sleep, to call at the Wood and 

 Catearth. We shall dine at the Wood. The children were to have 

 dined there yesterday, but the rain prevented them. Mrs. Barlow 

 came up in the evening, they tell me, with Miss North. Gale was 

 found guilty of two assaults at Lancaster, but the anti-Catholic doc- 

 tor allowed him to get off without fine. How absurd altogether the 

 quarrel originating in Catholic Emancipation. I shall probably go 

 to Penny Bridge on Saturday, but will write again to-morrow, so 

 send to the Post-Office on Saturday evening, and on Sunday too, 

 for letters are not delivered till Monday. But be sure you, or Mary, 

 or Johnny, or George Watson, write every night, till farther orders. 

 The little pony, Tickler, and Nanny, the cow, are all well, so is Star ; 

 Colonsay is sold for four pounds. The last year's calf is as large as 

 any cow, and there is another calf and two pigs. I shall give you 

 any news I hear in my next. I will write to Johnny soon. Your 

 affectionate and loving husband, John Wilson." 



?? 



The " Colonsay" mentioned here as sold " for four pounds," had 

 been at one time a pony of remarkable strength and sagacity. A 

 few summers previously, my father became acquainted with a Mr. 

 Douglas, who, with his family, was then residing near Ambleside. 

 This gentleman possessed a handsome and prepossessing appear- 

 ance ; beyond that he had not much to recommend him, being nothing 

 but a sporting character, and was after a time discovered not to be 

 sans 2^eur and sans tache. However, he visited in all directions, 

 frequently coming to Elleray. One day he appeared, mounted on a 

 very fine animal, which he said was thorough-bred, and an unrival- 

 led trotter. This statement gave rise to some discussion on the sub- 

 ject of trotting, d propos of which, Wilson brought forward the 

 merits of a certain gray cob hi his possession, half jestingly propos- 

 ing a match between it and the above-mentioned " thoroughbred." 



