London to ^o/m O' Groat's. 189 



my case in a new aspect to him. He would talk with 

 the "missus;" he withdrew into the back kitchen, a 

 short conference ensued, and both came out together 

 and informed me that they had found a bed, unexpec- 

 tedly vacant, for my accommodation. And they would 

 get up some tea and bread and butter for me, too. 

 Capital ! a sentiment of national pride stole in between 

 every two feelings of common satisfaction at this result. 

 The thought would come in and whisper, not for your 

 importunity as a common fellow mortal were this bed 

 and this loaf unlocked to you, but because you were 

 an American citizen. 



So I followed " the missus " into that great kitchen, 

 and sat down in one corner of the huge fire-place while 

 she made the tea. It was a capacious museum of 

 culinary curiosities of the olden time, all arranged in 

 picturesque groups, yet without any aim at effect. 

 Pots, kettles, pans, spits, covers, hooks and trammels 

 of the Elizabethan period, apparently the heir-looms 

 of several intersecting generations, showed in the fire- 

 light like a work of artistry ; the sharp, silvery 

 brightness of the tin and the florid flush of burnished 

 copper making distinct disks in the darkness. It was 

 with a rare sentiment of comfort that I sat by that fire 

 of crackling faggots, looked up at the stars that dropped 

 in their light as they passed over the top of the great 



