I simply took it for granted." "So did I at first--long ago.

But later I puzzled my brain for a reason." "And what was the reason, sir ?" "Simply and solely because the snake or worm _was_ white.

We are near the county of Stafford, where the great industry of china-burning was originated and grew.

Stafford owes much of its wealth to the large deposits of the rare china clay found in it from time to time.

These deposits become in time pretty well exhausted; but for centuries Stafford adventurers looked for the special clay, as Ohio and Pennsylvania farmers and explorers looked for oil.