66 HOUND AXD HORN" ; 



" Come along, old friend," I called out, " I want my 

 dinner." 



" Coming, sir ; coming," he replied ; and as lie 

 came out of the room into the hall I just caught 

 a smile on his face as he muttered to himself, 

 " Nice pup ; pity she wem't a hound." 



''Bravo, old boy 1 " I shouted ; '' that's the best thing 

 you ever said." 



" No, sir ; no, sir. I beg your pardon, sir. I didn't 

 mean nothing wrong, sir. I didn't mean it, sir." 



" Meaoi'' said I ; " I know ivliat you meant, and you 

 couldnt have paid the little child a greater comj)liment 

 if you'd racked your brain till doomsday. Had it come 

 from any one else, I should have been angry ; but you 

 meant nothing wrong." 



But I almost forgot one more story respecting my 

 old friend, and, as it is not a long one, here it is. 

 Our old clerk, who had held the office for years, at 

 length paid the debt of nature, and vacated the post. 

 Who was to take his place ? I looked round with my 

 mind's eye, and got puzzled. The Cumners had been 

 parish clerks in Milton for years, and " George " was 

 the last, as the family had died out. First I thought 

 of one, then another, till one evening, on sitting in the 

 old huntsman's parlour, I said, " I say, old friend, poor 

 old Georfre Cumner is gone, who is to succeed him ? 



