The Worthington advance., 1879-01-30

ana frumentY were brought IN IN great
silver tlreens. Then lampreys with
onions, a dish of which his lordship par
took so plentifully as to remind his guest
of certain historical association with it,
and also 70 suggest very reasonable ex-
planation Of bis "humors." There was a
baron of beef. of course; and then cyg-
net served with liver sauce. And here,
the larger dishes having come to an end,
a curious difference was made in the wait
ing. All the male servitors disappeared,
and were succeeded by four neat handed
and pretty girls in a sort of white and
blue uniform made Of some oid-tashloned
material. The first delicacy they served
Sclwyn with was beavers tail; and he
almost fancied that the extreme caution
he manifested in taking the first morsel
induce one Of thcm-the prettiest-to
smile. Lord De Bracy ate of this very
heartily, and washed it down with ypo-
cras, drink spiced Gas Selwyn was after
ward informed) with cinnamon and
heliotrope. but at all events with some
hing very nasty. After this there was
kid and ginger sauce, and curlow with
salt and sugar. And then came the
''sutiltees," as they were termed; sweets,
(or 'devices,' y pretty substantial castles
of pie-crust or swcetmeats,to ali of which
the noble host did such justice as to leave
the origin Of his maladies III no doubt.
Then to the sideboard, groan1ng with
gold plate, the waiting maids brought
two silver basins full ofroscwater, where
in their Lord and the Doctor dipped their
hands, and dinner a. last was over.
The effect of lampreys and beavers, tails
when accompanied by ypoc1as in any
quantity is somnolence, aud Lord De
Bracy seemed by no means inclined for
conversation. So, after half an hours
"bald disjointed CHAT" Selwyn wrote out
his prescription, and bride his noble host
''good-night" upon the plea that he had
to start for town next morning at 50 early
an hour. He did not s.eep particularly
we'll he dreamed that he was being put
to death by the Swanhopper's Company
this was the cygnct and liver sauce no
doubt--for killing curlcw; End was
glad enough to wake and find himself in
a century when the laws are not so severe.
It was quite relief to him, too, to re-
member that his host would not be up to
breakfast with him and see him of; for
though he had been treated with the
utmost hospitality, Lord De Bracy's S
society was on the whole oppressive, and
he had by no means enjoyed his visit at
Donion Towers. 1t was an interesting
experience, no doubt, but that is often
a matter less pleasant in action than to
talk about afterwerd: he had had to act
a part from fist to last, to restrain all
natural expressions of impatlence OF
incredulity; and, in short, he was pining
for fresh air.
He could but toy with the boar's head
that was the piece dc resistance upon the
sideboard, and declined with unhesltat-
ing trankness the cup Of mead that was
offered him by one of the serving men.
When his carriage was announced, be
was following the groom OF the chambers
who had come up to his room for his
portmanteau, when his attention was sud-
denly arrested by a pretty housemaid; it
was the prettiest the dark ope-=of the
girls that had waited at table, and she
had been doubtless watching outside bis
door. as servants will do in the best-con-
Quoted households, for little present.
Nay,in all probability, in Donjon Towers
the old system of walls was in full
operation, and he felt considering. too;
how pretty she was) that he could hardly
give her less than gold. He took,
the, efore, half sovereign from his purse,
and seeing her smile roguishly as Re did
so, and also that the groom was we'll opt
of sight, he accompanied the gift with a
chuck under the chin. It was not right
of him, of course; but the delight OF
getting away from that tremendous man.
sion Gas he subsequently explained) NO
doubt put him in abnormally high spirits
1t all events, he did It; and as she only
blushed, and didn't say word, he fiat
tered himself that he had done rather a
handsome thing in pleasant fashion.
As to tie whole visit. he felt, indeed
that he had acquitted himself, under very
trying circumstances, exceedingly we'll
and had made good impression.
He found DR.. Dalrymple not much i'm
proved in health, the fact being, as he
confessed, that he had been in consider
able anxiety as to the result of bis young
partners visit to the Towers.
"Well, and how did it all go off, was
his first question.
"Qh, capitally; nothing could have
been kinder than his lordship, but he's
very heavy in hand"
"Ah, you found that out!" returned
the other, rubbing his hands. II have
attended him these twenty years. Ger
tainly one ought to be we'll paid, wher
one has to dine-eh-and listen to a pa
tient out of the way of business. Well
and how is his rheum, as he calls it."
"Well, I'd much sooner have his rheun
than his company" said Selwyn, laugh
) ing. "The fact is, there is nothing a
all the matter with him but overeating
And such things, too, porpoises and pea
cocks"
:'Ah, I've eaten porpoise at the Tow
ers," sighed the old Doctor, with the al
of one who recalls a self sacrifice.
II dare say it is no worse than beav
er's tail,' protested Selwyn. "However
it was a verv interesting dinner. Afte
the big things had been disposed of tn
,, serving-men retired, and"
"And the girls came in!' interrupted
the old Doctor excitedly. 'Tbat Away
happens when you dine at the Towers 70
the frs: time. "It's his lordshsps notiol
of doing the honnors of hospitality-bor
rowed from the time OF Edward the Con
fessor, I believe. The ladies of the fam
:. lily wait on the guest
"The ladies of the tamilyl" reiterate,
Selwyn, aghast with horror. "Do 70,
, mean to say those four girls IN blue an,
white were Lord De Bracy's daugh
ersr
"Of course they were; did you thin]
! they were house n.aids?"
Selwyn answered nothing, though h
was quite certain he had taken at leas
one of them for such.
well, wonder you did not see the
had an aristocratic air. Perhaps ouxh
to have told you how it would be before
hand. However, De Bracy will like you al
the better for taking the thing as mat
ter Of course; some men will Jump up ant
hand the dishes themselves, because
t distresses them to be waited on in tina
way; but it is better to fall in with tn