164 
RURAL HOURS. 
haps, nor so white as that of the baker's, but much sweeter, and 
more nourishing. Our farmers' wives often use a Httle potato or 
Indian meal with their wheat, which gives the bread additional 
sweetness and body, as the gourmets call it, in speaking of their 
wines. With such strawberries and cream, such bread and but- 
ter, we could not do justice to half the good things on table. 
The cup-cake and ginger-bread, the biscuits and cheese, the vari- 
ous kinds of sweetmeats and stewed apples, the broiled ham and 
pickles, the apple-pie and mince-pie, were thrown away upon us. 
Our hostess put the nicest bits on a whole row of little plates 
and saucers before each guest, and after a long drive, one can 
make a very substantial meal ; still, we could not eat up all the 
good things, and our friend was scarcely satisfied with the result, 
although we flattered ourselves we had been doing wonders. 
But such strawberries and cream, such bread and butter, ought 
to be enough to satisfy any reasonable tea-drinker. 
As we had a drive of several miles before us, we were obliged 
to say good-bye early in the afternoon, taking leave of our vener- 
able friend witli those feelings of unfeigned regard and respect 
which the good and upright alone excite. 
After such a pleasant day, we had a charming drive home, in- 
cluding even the long and slow ascent of Briar Hill. The birds, 
perched on the rails and bushes, sung us cheerfully on our way. 
As we stopped at the tavern, at the little hamlet of Old Oaks, to 
water the horses, we found a long row of empty wagons and bug- 
gies, drawn up before the house, betokening a rustic merry-mak- 
ing in honor of the eve of the " Fourth." A fiddle was heard from 
an upper room, and we had scarcely stopped before a couple of 
youths, in holyday attire, stepped to the carriage, offering to help 
