Once upon a time, I am told, they were quite a nuisance." The old man came in as he spoke and sat down beside us with a sigh, which, indeed, seemed fetched up as if he wanted us to take notice of it; but just then the girl came in with the victuals, and the carle missed his mark, what between our hunger generally and that I was pretty busy watching the grand-daughter moving about as beautiful as a picture.
Everything to eat and drink, though it was somewhat different to what we had had in London, was better than good, but the old man eyed rather sulkily the chief dish on the table, on which lay a leash of fine perch, and said: "H'm, perch! I am sorry we can't do better for you, guests.

The time was when we might have had a good piece of salmon up from London for you; but the times have grown mean and petty." "Yes, but you might have had it now," said the girl, giggling, "if you had known that they were coming." "It's our fault for not bringing it with us, neighbours," said Dick, good- humouredly.

"But if the times have grown petty, at any rate the perch haven't; that fellow in the middle there must have weighed a good two pounds when he was showing his dark stripes and red fins to the minnows yonder.

And as to the salmon, why, neighbour, my friend here, who comes from the outlands, was quite surprised yesterday morning when I told him we had plenty of salmon at Hammersmith.

I am sure I have heard nothing of the times worsening." He looked a little uncomfortable.