OEj WITH BRAINS, SIR. 311 



0t 



place ; " for we found ourselves standing before a small cot- 

 tage house with a pretty flower-garden by the front door. 

 Oh either hand wide-spreading meadows lay warm and fair 

 in the afternoon sun, the breeze just stirring the tall grass 

 and waving grain. A noble great barn stood behind the 

 house, and everything betokened neatness, order, and sub- 

 stantial comfort. 



" What a splendid farm ! " said Robert. 



18 And what a charming home ! " 



" Let us go in, by all means ; " and we did. 



Mr. Stamford was a-field, but his wife and two daughters 

 welcomed us kindly. "We found them to be pleasant and 

 well-informed people, without a trace of rusticity. This 

 surprised us, as we supposed, from what we had seen of Mr. 

 S., that his family would be oppressively rural. The true 

 explanation of this came out afterward. Among other 

 things mentioned during our visit was the matter of 

 " pickers." 



" Just the thing ! " exclaimed the elder of the young ladies. 

 " Why should not girls work out-of-doors in the fresh air 

 and sunshine ? I am sure I wish I could." 



" Father would never let you, Jane," said the younger. 

 " He and mother attend to everything, and do not let us do 

 anything about the house or farm. It is nothing but mend 

 and sew, sew and mend with us ; or it is read, read, read, 



