An artist would have revelled in this kitchen, with its delicious effects in red and blue; but Mrs.Bateson accounted it as nothing.

Her pride was centred in her parlour and its mural decorations, which consisted principally of a large and varied assortment of funeral-cards, neatly framed and glazed.

In addition to these there was a collection of family portraits in daguerreotype, including an interesting representation of Mrs.Bateson's parents sitting side by side in two straight-backed chairs, with their whole family twining round them--a sort of Swiss Family Laocoon; and a picture of Mr.Bateson--in the attitude of Juliet and the attire of a local preacher--leaning over a balcony, which was overgrown with a semi-tropical luxuriance of artificial ivy, and which was obviously too frail to support him.

But the masterpiece in Mrs.
Bateson's art-gallery was a soul-stirring illustration of the death of the revered John Wesley.

This picture was divided into two compartments: the first represented the room at Wesley's house in City Road, with the assembled survivors of the great man's family weeping round his bed; and the second depicted the departing saint flying across Bunhill Fields burying-ground in his wig and gown and bands, supported on either side by a stalwart angel.
As Elisabeth had surmised, the entertainment on this occasion was pork-pie; and Mrs.Hankey, a near neighbour, had also been bidden to share the feast.