82 THE DAILY LIFE OF OUR FARM. 



the other day, on coming down to welcome our party, 

 with a face beaming more than even usually bright 

 from the exertion, as she explained, of tearing up strips 

 of calico by her baby's ear, because it started at the 

 sound of an accidental rip. By dint of this same habit, 

 I was once enabled to discover the delinquency of a 

 groom, who, first-rate hand when he chose, unhappily 

 did not often choose, and, who having fallen into the 

 service of an epicurean, soon began to give sundry 

 symptoms of neglecting his work. After he left me I 

 found that at a previous place (how is it that, like 

 Parisina's maidens, so few will help you in time of need 

 with a hint ? whereas, after the catastrophe, they one 

 and all overflow abundantly with, "Ah ! that's just 

 what I expected ! " "I knew that would be the case !" 

 &c., &c.) — however, to return, I found that this fine 

 fellow, being in the service of a Cheltenham dowager, 

 used to clean only the side of the carriage^ that was 

 next to the door as he drew up. To return further : 

 suspecting him of being addicted to lift his little finger, 

 one summer evening I rode slowly along highway and 

 byeway by every neighbouring public, soon detecting 

 his various haunts by the deliberate stand my thorough- 

 bred made against the passage to the cider-tap. When 

 I had consolidated the charge sufficiently to bring it 

 home, he was, I heard subsequently, much puzzled to 

 know how I could have gained my information so accu- 

 rately, and would doubtless, had he had the chance, 

 have wreaked his vengeance on the dumb detective. 



As I was watching some peas being put in, the other 

 day, a smarting hailstorm and heavy wet came on, 

 which sent me quickly under a tree and my umbrella, 

 despite the supposed hardening with which one's 



