14 HOUND AND HORN ; 



Carter "kennelled himself," as he expressed it. And 

 here, too, about six o'clock in the evening during the 

 winter months, after his tea, he used to get into his 

 easy chair on one side of the fire — the hearth swept 

 up, the room put tidy, and the lamp lighted — and on 

 the opposite side of the fire stood another easy chair, 

 empty. Gentle reader, have you ever seen a fire ? or 

 do you know what a good fire is ? Possibly you think 

 you do. I have certainly seen many in Wiltshire, in 

 the old farm-houses, years ago, when the fire was of 

 wood, great " flocks " burnt on the hearth on dogs, 

 and the chimney corner was a warm and comfortable 

 spot. None of your carpeted best parlours, or what- 

 ever you may call them, with a little fiddle-faddle 

 stove or grate, that throws out little heat and plenty 

 of smoke if the wind is anywhere but in one quarter, 

 and that never the rig-ht one. Well, Georsfe Carter 

 did burn his fire in a grate, it is true, but it was 

 generally of wood, and he or his family knew how the 

 fire should be made up, and if it was not prcpeoiy 

 made up — well, the old huntsman perhaps, had not 

 fors^otten altoo-ether how to " rate." 



We will fancy, then, a cold evening in December, 

 or, at all events, in the winter, room cheery, fire 

 burning bright, old huntsman sitting in his easy chair, 

 Mrs. Carter, " a nice tidy 'ooman," (I always like to 



