nd massive,
indicating the minor accessories of intellect, together with great
acuteness and cunning; altogether he had the head and face of a felon.
For purposes which you shall know hereafter, I declined presenting Lord
Cumber's letter of introduction, which I calculated would put the
fellow on his guard, deeming it, more prudent to introduce myself as a
stranger, anxious, if I could do so conveniently, to settle somewhere
in the neighborhood. The son's back was towards me when I entered, and
until he had finished the account at which he had been engaged, which
he did by a good deal of altering and erasing, he did not deem, it worth
while to look about him even at the entrance of a stranger. Having heard
me express my intention of looking for a residence in the vicinity, he
did me the honor of one of the most comical stares I ever saw. He is a
tall fellow, about six feet, his shoulders are narrow, but round as the
curve of a pot--his neck is, at least, eighteen inches in length, on the
top of which stands a head, somewhat of a three-cornered shape, like a
country barber's wig block, only not so intelligent looking. His nose is
short, and turned up a little at the top--his squint is awful, but then,
it is peculiar to himself; for his eyes, instead of looking around them
as such eyes do, appear to keep a jealous and vigilant watch of each
other across his nose--his chin is short and retreating, and from, his
wide mouth project two immeasurable buck teeth, that lie together like
a'pair of tiles upon a dog kennel. Heavens! that a beautiful girl--as
it is said everywhere Miss M'Loughlin is, and until now proverbially
correct in her conduct and deportment--should admit such a misshapen
kraken as this into her apartment, and at night, too! After having
stared at me for some time with a great deal of cunning and a great deal
of folly in his countenance, he again began to pore over the blank pages
of his book, as if he had been working out some difficult calculation.

"'And,' said the father, after we had been chatting for some time, 'have
you seen anything in the neighborhood that you think would suit you?'

"'I am too much of a stranger, sir,' I replied, 'to be able to answer in
the affirmative--but I admire the country and the scenery, both of
which in this immediate neighborhood, are extremely beautiful and
interesting.'

"'They are so,' he replied, 'and the country is a fine one, certainly.'

"'Ay,' said Phil, 'only fo