Round About a Great Estate

She was driving me in the pony-trap over the Downs, and we were going to call on Mrs. Luckett's brother, who had a farm among the hills. He had not been down to Lucketts' Place for more than t

ught of; and the longer the lapse the more difficult is the remedy. The footpath of friendshi

d threshing, what is there left of the twelvemonth? It has gone like a day. Thus it is that a farmer talks of twenty years since as if it was only last week,

way, with his teeth.) Besides we thought that, if we waited till later, Uncle Bennet might be gone to market at Overboro'. We passed several farmers leaning or sitting on the stiles by the road, watching for a friend t

at the summit passed the entrenchment and the shepherds' timepiece. Thence our track ran along the ridge, on the short sweet turf, where there were few or no ruts, and these easily avoided on that broad open ground. The quick pony now put out his speed, and we raced along as smoothly as if the wheels were running on a carpet. Far below, to the right, stretched wheatfield after wheatfield in a plain between two rang

y with the temperature), and this drift, though of course it was reduced, did not melt but became consolidated like ice: a part still remained when the haymaking commenced. The pony now slackened his pace at a sharp ascent, and as he walked up we could hear the short song of the grasshoppers. There was a fir copse at

but there was no one about. Cicely lifted the latch of the door to step in, country fashion, but it was locked; and, hearing the noise, a cat came m

ed too, but the key was in the lock outside. Cicely said that was a signal to callers that th

she?' as

mmediately he cried out, 'Thuck's our feyther's: the kay's in the thatch.' We l

e they al

in th' turmuts; and Jack be at public,

ome to luncheon

be whoam afore night; thaay

t home in all the

. Thur beant nobody

o walk into Overboro' for the purpose. Some of the folk ate snails, the common brown shell-snail found in the hedges. It has been observed that children who eat snails are often remarkably plump. The method of cooking is to place the snail in its shell on the

e No

tting. He was getting on in years, but very active. He welcomed us warmly: still I thought I detected some uneasiness in hi

e at once demanded why he h

the ginger wine, and the grey-beard-mebbe you'd like a drop a' shart'-to me; but

rd,' said he, 'I got so

?' cried Cic

'there's them summer apples as you used to

r apples; why did

hat you be a-

that

rrable bad' (to me)-'you med se

aid Cicely; 'you are a very rude man not

, Cissy,' said he. 'Have '

instantly why have you not been to se

a-coming,'

ere you

down your way, Cissy; a' o

you come down an

p to feed off a meadow; s'pose I must see about it'-wit

't you co

no time'-farmers having mo

have come

ot the hay about; a' don't w

ranger! Well, why di

ss 'ee,

Ap

ain busy

Ma

heumatism ba

t change your coat and come to-day. Jump

t do't. Got to go down to Thirty Acre Corner: got to get out the reaping machine-a' wants oiling, a' reckon; got some new

!' cried Cic

eye and keeping it closed, as much as to say-I won't be d

ly softly; 'I should lik

; 'I'll get 'ee some: will'ee have

piece of comb. She took the comb in her white fingers, and pressed the liquid gold from the cells; the luscious sweetness gathered

so much nicer?' asked Cicely, w

the air. There bean't no hedges for um to fly u

ves have you

ty-'There be three score and sixteen; I have a' had six score y

red them on one side. Uncle Bennet chatted pleasantly about his bees for an hour, and would, I believe, have gossiped all day, notwithstanding that he had so little time for anything. Nothing more was said about the

n from town once chanced to visit this 'coombe-bottom' on business, and strolled down the 'street' in all the glory of shining boots, large gold watch-chain, black coat and high hat, all the pomp of Regent-street; doubtless imagi

ur feet the meadow sloped down to the distant brook, the murmur of whose stream as it fell over a bay could be just heard. Northwards the stars were pale, the sun seems so little below the horizon there that the glow of the sunset and the glow of the dawn nearly meet. But southwards shone the dull red star of summer-Antares, seen whil

rom farm to farm grinding the produce of the various orchards. They sometimes poured a quantity of the acid juice into the mill to sharpen it, as cutting a lemon will sharpen a knife. The great press, with its unwieldy screw and levers, squeezed the liquor from the cut-up apples in the horse-hair bags: a cumbersome apparatus, but not without interest; for surely so rude an eng

ditions before, people said it would be fine this time. But, unlike the law, the weather acknowledged no precedent, and nobody could tell, though folk now thought they knew everything. How all things had changed since the Queen ascended the throne! Not long sinc

lars from this fortunate individual. Letters rarely came to the farmhouse door then. The old postman made a very good thing of his office-people were so eager for news, and it was easy to take a magpie glance at a newspaper. So he called at the butcher's befor

oad, 'Royal Exchange burned down!' In this way news got about before the present facilities were afforded. But some of the old folk still regretted the change and believed that we should some day be punished for our worship of steam. Steam had brought us

this, doubtless pouting, but it was too dusky to see, and went indoors, and presently from the open window came the notes of her piano. As she played I dreamed again, till presently Mrs. Luckett began to argue with Hilary that the s

TE

esting corresponden

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two sorrow, 'R. F.' writes from Wiesbaden:-'In the north of England the contrary belief h

orrow, two

rriage, fo

eaven, six

devil's

ett's exclamation "Goodness! something awful might happen" m

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armers' horses on gala days, in which the national colours of Spain, scarlet and orange yellow, and the "glittering brazen" ornament of the crescent and the cross, so generally prevail. Their history must date from the introduction of

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ing in Scottish local nomenclature, and which meant a rabbit-warren-Coniger, Coney-garth. I know tw

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extract of snails for external use is still sometimes prepared, and, mi

: PRIN

AND CO., NEW

LIAMENT