let gave a pleasant sense of hospitality and homely
hearth-side cheer, for it requires only a few nights under a tent or the
open canopy of heaven to make a woman, always the most artificially
disposed of all creatures, exceedingly respectful to a roof.

To be sure the interior of this roof was well garnished with cobwebs,
and Peninnah Penelope Anne's mother was so notable a housekeeper and had
inculcated such horror of these untoward drapings and festoons that the
girl was compelled to look sedulously away from them to avoid staring in
amazement at their morbid development and proportions. The
superintendent of the ranch--being an establishment of magnitude it had
several sub-agents also--was so occupied in putting the best foot of his
menage foremost, not being prepared for such company that, like many a
modern housekeeper, he let the opportunity for pleasure slip. When he
proffered tea--he had sent a negro servant all the way to Fort Prince
George for the luxury, where it could be found among the hospital
stores, for tea was too mild a tipple for the pioneer cow-drivers--he
suffered the egregious mortification of pouring out plain hot water,
having forgotten to put in the tea leaves to steep. He looked very hot
and ruefully distressed as he repaired his error, and would not, could
not meet the laughing eyes of his comrades, nor yet the polite glances
of his guests resolutely seeing naught amiss. He was oppressed with a
sense of the number and prominence of his dogs about the wide hearth of
his cabin; when the animals were therefore vigorously kicked out to make
more space, instead of retiring with the usual plaintive yelp of protest
appropriate to such occasions they took advantage of the presence of
guests of distinction and made the rafters ring and resound with their
ear-splitting shrieks, and it was even necessary to chase them about the
room before they could be ejected. Indeed, several with super-canine
strategy succeeded in countermarching their tormentors and remained in
the group about the fire, wearing that curiously attentive look peculiar
to an intelligent animal when animated conversation is in progress.

The blazing fire in the great chimney-place, that stretched almost half
across one end of the herder's cabin, illumined the walls and showed the
medley of articles suspended upon them,--horns, whips, branding-irons,
skins, cattle-bells, lariats, and such-like appurtenances of the ranch.
The little lady