A HUNTING STABLE. 51 



pulling his forelock down as he made answer, and 

 throwing open the heavy nail-studded oak-door which 

 gave them admittance into a brick-paved vestibule, 

 with a door on each hand, one opening into the feed- 

 room and the other into the harness-room, in which a 

 bright fire was burning, beside which two or three 

 boys were busily employed burnishing bits and stirrup- 

 irons, with store of which the walls were decorated. 



A second oaken-door admitted them into the stable, 

 a vast square apartment of sixty-feet in each direction, 

 lighted by a cupola from above, well fitted with venti- 

 lators, so that the temperature was equal and pleasant, 

 and the air unpolluted by the odors of ammonia from 

 the litter, which in general render the interior of a 

 stable so detestable to the biped visiters, and so insa- 

 lubrious to the quadruped inhabitants. 



On each of the three sides of this fine hall, was a 

 range of ten large, roomy stalls, nicely bedded with 

 straw, the beds bound at the edges by elaborate plait- 

 ings and devices, and the alcoves above fringed with 

 a deep, fantastic hanging of wrought straw, to attract 

 the notice of the flies ; and each one of those thirty 

 stalls was occupied by a powerful and well-bred horse, 

 many of which turned their heads and winnied at the 

 well-known step of the stud-groom, making their chain 

 halters and blocks run and rattle through the elects 

 of the mangers. They were of almost all colors, three 

 or four blacks, with coats glistening like polished mar- 

 ble, one splendid silvery gray, two or three roans and 

 dapples, and the rest blood-bays and deep chestnuts, 

 with a sprinkling of dark browns with cinnamon muz- 

 zles and inner thigh markings, but not a single dun or 

 piebald, or soft, fiery light sorrel. 



Some were stout, full-quartered, and somewhat cob- 

 made horses, although large and roomy, and with 

 length enough of leg and neck to show that whatso- 

 ever qualities they did possess, there was no lack ia 



