THE NICEST LITTLE HOESE IN THE WORLD. 7 



Thither we went, and, as Mrs. Greenwood 

 played and her sister sang, wondered, as men 

 have often done, how we could possibly he so 

 material as to remain hehind, drink claret, and 

 talk horse, while an entertainment so infinitely 

 more delightful was awaiting us elsewhere. A 

 four-handed game at billiards, wherein the ladies 

 played particularly well, and we not quite up to 

 our form, terminated a delightful evening. 

 ***** 



Fan was waiting to accompany me for a 

 stroll before breakfast next morning, and we 

 sauntered to the gate, looked up and down the 

 road, passed through the houses, and generally 

 took advantage of a coimtry morning — a precious 

 boon to those who dwell habitually in London — 

 before breakfast. Why is that meal so mucJi 

 more pleasant in the country than in London ? 

 Metropolitans pamper their appetites with the 

 dainties which Piccadilly produces so cunningly, 

 but the homely fare of the country is beyond 

 comparison more welcome. 



There may be some curious reason for this, 

 or it may be simply that for human lungs air 

 is more healthy than smoke ; but the fact re- 

 mains. Greenwood and I were thoroughly fit, 

 however, and in the best of humours he 

 mounted the dog-cart to drive to the meet — 



