98 WARWICK WOODLAJMDS. 



hot hickory ashes, a foot at least in depth, a huge log of 

 that glorious fuel blazing upon the massive andirons. 

 Two large, deep gun-cases, a leathern magazine of shot, 

 and sundry canisters of diamond gunpowder, Brough's, 

 were displayed on a long table under the end window — a 

 four-horse whip, and two fly-rods in India-rubber cases, 

 stood in the chimney-corner; while revelling in the luxur- 

 ious warmth of the piled hearth lay basking on the rug, 

 three exquisitely formed Blenheim spaniels of the large 

 breed — short-legged and bony, with ears that almost swept 

 the ground as they stood upright, and coats as soft and 

 lustrous as floss silk. 



On a round table, which should have occupied the centre 

 of the parlor, now pulled up to the window-seat, whereon 

 reclined the worthies, stood a large pitcher of iced water ; a 

 square case-bottle of cut crystal filled, as the flavor which 

 pervaded the whole room sufficiently demonstrated, with 

 superb old Antigua Shrub; several large rummers cor- 

 responding to the fashion of the bottle; a twisted taper 

 of green wax, and a small silver plate with six or eight 

 cheroots, real manillas. 



Supper was evidently over, and the friends, amply 

 feasted, were now luxuriating in the delicious indolence, 

 half-dozing, half-day-dreaming, of a calm sleepy smoke, 

 modestly lubricated by an occasional sip of the cool 

 beverage before them. If we except a pile of box-coats, 

 capes, and macintoshes of every cut and color — a travel- 

 ling liquor-case which, standing open, displayed the tops 

 of three more bottles similar to that on the table, and 

 spaces lined with velvet for all the glass in use — and an- 

 other little leathern box, which, like the liquor-case, showed 

 its contents of several silver plates, knives, forks, spoons, 

 flasks of sauce, and condiments of different kinds — the 

 whole interior, as a painter would have called it, has been 

 depicted with all accuracy. 



Without, the view on which the windows opened was 

 indeed most lovely. The day had been very bright and 

 calm ; there was not a single cloud in the pale transparent 

 heaven, and the sun, which had shone cheerfully all day 

 from his first rising in the east, till now when he was 

 hanging like a ball of bloody fire in the thin filmy haze 

 which curtained the horizon, was still shooting his long 



