130 LEAMINGTON. 



He was a fine, tall, good-looking young 

 man, and an excellent workman. The day 

 was fine, the company all of the better 

 sort, and in conversation with those on 

 the roof, he seemed quite at his ease. We 

 dined together at Southam, and, after 

 discussing a bottle of port, soon became 

 on familiar terms. 



Arriving at Leamington, he pulled up 

 and put me down at the " Royal," and, 

 his day's work terminating at Warwick, 

 but two miles farther, he said that he would 

 return and spend the evening with me. 

 With this I was much pleased, as my 

 father had not yet moved the family 

 down, and I was quite a stranger. 



In the meantime, I walked over this 

 new town, that had sprung up like a 

 mushroom. My father had told me that 

 the house I should alight at was, in his 

 time, the only house in the village ; and 

 that, upon one occasion, he and his partner, 



