

London to John O* Groat's. 95 



precedes you up stairs with a candle, on a broad- 

 bottomed brass candlestick, polished to its highest 

 lustre. She conducts you to your room as if you 

 were her personal guest, invited and expected a month 

 ago. She opens the door with amiable complacency, as 

 if welcoming you to a hospitality which she had pre- 

 pared for you with especial care, before she knew you 

 had arrived in town. She invites you, by a movement 

 of her eyes, to glance at the room and see how comfort- 

 able it is ; how round and soft is the bed, how white 

 and well-aired are the sheets and pillows, how nice the 

 curtains, how clean and tidy the carpet, in short, how 

 everything is fitted to incline y0u to " rest and be 

 thankful." And then the cheery "good night!" she 

 bids you is said with a tone that is. worth the sixpence 

 she expects in the morning ; and you pay it, too, with 

 a much better grace than could be expected from an 

 American recently arrived in the country. 



And the " boots " is a character, too, unmixedly and 

 interestingly English, in name, person, character and 

 position. In the first of these qualities he is unique, 

 being called after the subject of his occupation. He is 

 an important personage, and generally has his own bell 

 in the dining-room, surmounted by his name, to be 

 called for any service coming within his department. 

 And this is quite a wide one, including a great variety 



