A SUPERINTENDENT OF THE OLDEN DAYS. 
most inhospitable manner, so as to block up any chance 
of entry. After some delay the boy acknowledges 
master is in, “ But, sar, you can’t go in, you can’t see 
him, he is sick and in bed, and must not be disturbed.” 
“ Sick and in bed ! ” says the neighbour, 5 ‘ and I can’t 
go in, and am not to see him ! Why you rascal, 
that is just the very reason I must go in, and must 
see him. Do you think I am the sort of fellow to 
allow a neighbour and stranger in the district to 
remain in this state, and not see if I can do any- 
thing for him; let me in.” But the “boy” stead- 
fastly stood in the doorway and said, “Master’s 
asleep, can’t go in.” The neighbour, a strong young 
fellow, says never a word, but catches hold of the 
boy by the “cuff of the neck,” gives him a shove 
that makes him stagger out into the verandah, and 
thus the doorway being cleared, enters the hut and 
into the room, which was called the bed-room, just 
because there was a bed in it and nothing else, and 
little enough room even for it. He throws open the 
wundow hole to let in light, and sure enough there 
is Mr. Kenneth lying in bed on his back j his clothes 
were all on, even bis coat and shoes, and he had 
just the appearance of a dead corpse. The neighbour 
was alarmed ; he went " close up, raised one of his 
arms, but it fell powerless ; the mouth was half- 
open, and the tongue slightly protruded. The neighbour 
leaued down and put his face close to Mr. Kenneth’s 
to feel if there was any breath, but he started and 
suddenly drew back, coughing violently, for there 
could be no doubt at all about the breath being 
there, as also that it smelt like a cask of 
brandy. The neighbour heaved a sigh of satisfaction ; 
he was not dead, but there would be no doubt about 
it, he was dead drunk. He drew back and looked 
round the room — not a bottle, glass, or any appear- 
ance of liquor, either in the present or past tense, 
was to be seen. He goes out and asks the boy 
what master has been drinking, and where it is, 
but the boy declares master has been drinking nothing 
but tea. Master drink indeed ! His master was not 
that sort of master ! Master was ill, he had a severe 
attack of fever and ague. The neighbour was not 
to be done; he again goes into the bed-room and 
looks well under the bed, and there a sight is re- 
vealed to his astonished gaze. Underneath the bed is 
positively choke-full of empty black bottles, all piled 
up on their sides, near the top, just under where 
the pillow and bolster of the bed was, and so, 
handy for one in bed to reach, were a few bottles 
standing upright, some fully corked, and some with 
the corks half-drawn, and beside these bottles stood 
a tumbler, also a goglet of water. The neighbour 
