XLVI INTRODUCTORY CHAPTERS 



last number of the Turf Register with several 

 English sporting magazines and other periodicals ; 

 by a small trivet, on which stood an antique 

 salver, with a coffee pot and sugar dish of richly 

 chased and massive silver, a cut-glass cream jug, 

 with a small stand of liqueurs, two tiny glasses, 

 and two coffee cups of Sevres china. A pile of 

 hickory logs was crackling and flashing cheer- 

 fiilly upon the hearth; a pair of wax candles 

 were blazing on the mantle-piece ***** Such was 

 the aspect of the room, which Heneage, fresh as 

 he was from London and all the finished comforts 

 of English country-houses, in the first month of 

 his first visit to America, pronounced the very 

 acme of perfection, as a bachelor's establishment." 



After reading such a description of a sportsman's lodge, 

 written by one who could hold his own with the best 

 scholars, the best shots, and the best writers of his time, 

 what sort of a gun would you have expected he would have 

 presented to the friend of his happiest days — Tom Draw? 



Mr. Ward opened the case and thei'e, nestled in velvet, 

 which was still bright and luxurious, was a beautiful 

 English made double-barrelled gun with an inscription on 

 the barrel, "P" and then enough indistinct letters which 

 might have been "urday", then B. with a little indistinct- 

 ness which might have been "ros", then plainly, "London, 

 warranted fine twisted." Mr. Draw, (Ward) put the gun 

 together, lifted the triggers, and although made fully sev- 

 enty years ago it was still in perfect order, showing it was 

 made on honor. 



I noticed down near the butt a steel chased latchet with 

 a thumb-nail catch which I opened and out rattled a few 

 Ely's caps such as Forester held between his forefinger 

 and thumb and loved to describe : 



"So. much for Ely! exclaimed Harry — had we 

 both usfed two of them, we should have bagged 

 four there." 



This showed so plainly that the talented Englishman 

 did nothing by halves; the gun must have cost eighty 

 pounds — four hundred dollars — for the steel work was 

 beautifully chased, the breech of rare wood, and in addi- 

 tion, in the case was a powder flask and one of the old- 



