HUNTING. 141 



•which, however, he paid no sort of heed. I 

 was at once invited to enter, and gladty 

 accepted the invitation, for I was cold and 

 tired, pleased to ease my horse and get him 

 a draught of meal and water. I sat down in 

 he chimney-corner, thankful for the rest, 

 but determined to withstand all entreaties to 

 share the family supper, and my risible facul- 

 ties were sorely put to the test, w^hen my 

 host, balancing a potato upon his fork and 

 dipping it in the salt, presented it to me, 

 saying, '' Arrah ! take it my lady, just /or the 

 jig o' the thing!'' Of course I took it; and 

 never have I enjoyed the richest luxury of an 

 a la Russe dinner more than that simple potato 

 in a poor man's cabin, in company with the 

 mule and the pigs. When I stood up to go 

 I carefully inquired the distance, for it was 

 dark, and I had long since lost the remainder 

 of my party. The man offered to accompany 

 me to the station, and I believe he was 

 actuated solely by civility, and not by any 

 hope of gain. My horse was sadly done up ; 

 he had stiffened on the over-reach, and limped 

 painfully. We proceeded but slowly, and, 



