AT THE INN 149 
bedrooms, all coming under the landlady’s super- 
vision ; she also saw to catering, cooking, and 
general management. The husband was busy all 
day with a big posting business, and a large 
poultry farm. Everything in and connected 
with this hotel seemed to go like clockwork. 
A better hotel there could not be, speaking from 
the guest’s rather than from the expert’s point of 
view. Both host and hostess had not only capa- 
bility but also personality. And that explained it. 
I have before touched on the tendency of 
certain people to “ crab everything.” Fair criticism 
is all right, for facts have to be faced, but some 
critics are apt to say only the unkind thing of any- 
body, and to neglect the many opportunities when 
a good word could be said honestly. Inns and 
hotels are specially open to this sort of belittle- 
ment. I count ita pleasure anda sporting duty to 
put on record the fact that, after staying several 
weeks at that hotel, I had never once in the town or 
neighbourhood heard aught expressed concerning 
the hostess but expressions of admiration and 
sincere regard. She and her husband had brought 
up a large family, and they had to mourn the 
loss of a good son in the war; this was a sore 
bereavement, but they suffered it bravely, and 
went on with their work. Character, again! It 
was quite a usual thing when one was shopping 
and gave the address to which the parcels were to 
be sent, to hear the shopkeeper remark : “Oh, 
you're staying at the —— You'll get well looked 
after there ; Mrs, —— will see to that.” 
