now spreading itself all through your wheels and mainsprings. Not that I'm throwing cold water on the broiled fowl and mushroom sauce! No, no, no. Anything my Nancy takes in hand," said the proud father, "must not be spoken of slightingly." "Am I, then, to be indebted to your daughter for my supper?" asked John Hardy. "You are, Sir," replied the landlord; and if it's a matter that will give you the smallest sort of comfort, ye never need pay her nor me either." "Tut, tut!" hurriedly rejoined John. "I merely meant, indebted to her kind attention." "I beg your pardon, Mr. Hardy," returned the host, "but I'm a plain matter of fact. Yes, Sir, you see in me, Ewdard Dixon, not the essence of ginger, but the essence of truth." John scarcely knew what reply to give to this strange piece of egotism, and so he merely gave a nod, conveying an acquiescence or dis agreement, or any kind, sort, or form of reply that might be agreeable to the landlord's senti ments. "Yes, Sir," continued Edward Dixon, folding his arms across his capacious breast, "I've always walked upright, talked upright, laid down upright; that is my opinions; and, as King Solomon says-I think it's King Solomon, Mr. Hardy-He who walks in righteous ways, in an easy chair may end his days! That's my hope, Sir." John trusted that the hope would be realized. "Now there's my Nancy," said the landlord, flying off at another tangent, "is a very fair sample of what may be done in bringing up an infant in the way it should walk. I did that, Mr. Hardy," continued Edward Dixon, placing unmistakeable stress upon the pronoun. was left an unprotected little sucker, at the early age of two days,” said he, lowering his voice to a pathetic tone. "Yes, Mr. Hardy, "She her mother, and my Sally, left us the Lion to ourselves, with scarcely any notice beforehand; and from that moment I became her nurse. You'll understand," and now he dropped his words into a confidential whisper, for the broiled fowl was audibly on its way up stairs, "I don't mean that I was the wet-nurse; that motherly duty, Sir, was performed by Susan Colly, our blacksmith's wife; but barring this, Nancy, as you now see her, is the result of her father's training." "I'm sure," responded John, "that she confers upon you very great credit." And now the broiled fowl made its appearance, carried by Dick, the attendant upon Blossom, acting in the double capacity of ostler and waiter, on a large tray, surrounded by countless accompaniments, and followed by Nancy, with her hands full of the assistants to the creature comforts. After inquiring after the state and condition of Blossom, and learning that the squabby cob was as happy as good oats, hay, straw, and a warm stable could render him-more he never required-John drew his chair to the wellfilled, well-appointed table, and commenced, to the infinite gratification of Edward Dixon, an onslaught upon the dainties spread before him. May good digestion wait on appetite, excellent, glorious John Hardy! for ye count not on the coming, ay, and near, too, adventures of this night. Erst thy snore becomes loud enough to summon Jack o' Dreams to play frolics in thy brain, well may'st thou say "Sleep, gentle sleep, Nature's soft nurse, how have I frighted thee, CHAPTER X. "Enjoy the honey-heavy dew of slumber : THE past, present, and to come; age of youth and youth of age, health of sickness and sickness of health; of strength, when tottering weakness unstrings the well-girt thews and sinews of manly vigour, and of helpless, weak, and sinking debility; when the blood leaps through the veins, and in every intricacy of the frame not a throb of the pulse indicates a nerve to be disordered-such is the stuff that dreams are made of! Ay, the old, when wrapped in slumber deep, |