A SUBURBAN PARLOUR. 13 



insensible to the soft influences of nature. Flanking the watch- 

 tower on the mantle-shelf wa^a profusion of shells, in the midst 

 of which, like monsters of the deep, grinned, on each side one, 

 a pair of corpulent Chinese bronzes. Perhaps our friend, in his 

 youth, had " occupied his business in great waters" but yet 

 such maritime and oriental ornaments are prevailing decora- 

 tions in such apartments. One thing was evident there was 

 no womenkind about the good man's house : not a work-basketj 



a pair of scissors, a nutmeg-grater, or even a thread on the 





 carpet to indicate female occupancy. The old man must be 



a bachelor ; but no, over the fire-place hung a portrait, and 

 a very good one, of a pretty woman in the dress of a lady some 

 forty years ago, and below it the miniature of a sweet little girl, 

 whose innocence looked out of a pair of large blue eyes cut 

 exactly after the same pattern as those of the elder portrait. 

 No doubt then he was a widower. So far satisfied, we turned 

 our eves towards the window to see how long we were likely 

 to encroach on his hospitality and then first noticed in the 

 window-seat a square glass-case, raised by some books to bring 

 it on a level with the light. It was roofed with gauze and 

 floored with wet sand, wherein was stuc a branch from a 

 white rose-bush, which we perceived, on looking closer, to be 

 peopled by some half dozen of large Lady -birds. The insects 

 were almost too many to be there by accident : the rose-branch, 

 too, was well furnished with Aphides, their favourite fare, and 

 seemed therefore as if chosen expressly for their accommodation. 



