London to John OGroafs. 351 



naturally, and without any other flush upon her 

 pleasant face than that of the exercise of rowing, that 

 I felt quite easy myself and checked the expression of 

 regret I was on the point of uttering for putting her to 

 such service. A few questions convinced me it was her 

 regular employment, especially when her father was 

 busy. I could not help asking her if she had ever 

 read " The Lady of the Lake," but found that neither 

 that romance nor any other had ever invested her river 

 experience with any sensibility except of a cheerful 

 duty. She was going to do the whole for a penny, her 

 usual charge, but I declined to take back any change 

 for the piece of silver I gave to her, intimating 

 that I regarded it cheap at that to be rowed over a 

 river by such hands. 



Almost opposite to Abbotsford I passed one of the 

 best farming establishments I had seen in Scotland. 

 I was particularly struck with a feature which will 

 hereafter distinguish the steddings or farm buildings 

 in Great Britain. Steam has already accomplished 

 many changes, and among others one that could hardly 

 have been anticipated when it was first applied to com- 

 mon uses. It has virtually turned the threshing-floor 

 out of doors. Grain growing has become completely 

 out-of-door work, from seeding to sending to market. 

 The day of building two-story barns for storing and 



