r of uncommon awkward tight
customers they are,' added he, trying to move his feet about in them.

'Ah! you should always have a chap to wear your boots a few times before
you put them on yourself,' observed his lordship. 'I never have a pair of
tight uns,' added he; 'Jack here always does the needful by mine.'

'That's all very well for lords,' replied Mr. Springwheat; 'but us farmers
wear out our boots fast enough ourselves, without anybody to help us.'

'Well, but I s'pose we may as well fall to,' observed his lordship, casting
his eye upon the well-garnished table. 'All these good things are meant to
eat, I s'pose,' added he: 'cakes, and sweets, and jellies without end: and
as to your sideboard,' said he, turning round and looking at it, 'it's a
match for any Lord Mayor's. A round of beef, a ham, a tongue, and is that a
goose or a turkey?'

'A turkey, my lord,' replied Springwheat; 'home-fed, my lord.'

'Ah, home-fed, indeed!' ejaculated his lordship, with a shake of the head:
'home-fed: wish I could feed at home. The man who said that

E'en from the peasant to the lord,
The turkey smokes on every board,

told a big un, for I'm sure none ever smokes on mine.'

'Take a little here to-day, then,' observed Mr. Springwheat, cutting deep
into the white breast.

'I will,' replied his lordship, 'I will: and a slice of tongue, too,' added
he.

'There are some hot sausingers comin',' observed Mr. Springwheat.

'You _don't_ say so,' replied his lordship, apparently thunderstruck at the
announcement. 'Well, I must have all three. By Jove, Jack!' said he,
appealing to his friend, 'but you've lit on your legs coming here. Here's a
breakfast fit to set before the Queen--muffins, and crumpets, and cakes.
Let me advise you to make the best use of your time, for you have but
twenty minutes,' continued his lordship, looking at his watch, 'and muffins
and crumpets don't come in your way every day.'

''Deed they don't,' replied Jack, with a grin.

'Will your lordship take tea or coffee?' asked Mrs. Springwheat, who had
now taken her seat at the top of the table, behind a richly chased
equipage for the distribution of those beverages.

''Pon my word,' replied his lordship, apparently bewildered--''pon my word,
I don't know what to say. Tea or coffee? To tell you the truth, I was going
to take something out of my black friend yonder,' nodding to where a French
bottle like a tall bully was lifting its head above an