. Christmas cheer [electronic resource]: in three courses, more than ordinary ones, and where every guest will get his dessert, and a taste of those choice spirits, "that cheer but not inebriate," . ch formed a small but valu-able estate, he was seldom or never to be seenbeneath any respectable roof in Forty-winks, andeven in the public room of the Lamb he was asmuch shunned and neglected as a man could bewithout receiving the positive cut-direct. His chiefassociate was a fellow who bore no enviable reputa-tion, and who gained a living nominally as a dog-fancier and a horse-doctor ; but who ad
. Christmas cheer [electronic resource]: in three courses, more than ordinary ones, and where every guest will get his dessert, and a taste of those choice spirits, "that cheer but not inebriate," . ch formed a small but valu-able estate, he was seldom or never to be seenbeneath any respectable roof in Forty-winks, andeven in the public room of the Lamb he was asmuch shunned and neglected as a man could bewithout receiving the positive cut-direct. His chiefassociate was a fellow who bore no enviable reputa-tion, and who gained a living nominally as a dog-fancier and a horse-doctor ; but who added to thesecrafts certain accomplishments which he deemed itprudent to keep under the rose, whereof night-poaching with nets and dog-stealing were said notto be the most culpable. Young Martin was, how-ever, tolerably popular amongst the tribe of hostlersand stable boys. He was always ready to toss ahelper for a pint of ale, and passed much of histime in smoking in inn-yards and stables. Hekept a horse of his own, too—a blood mare; was afearless rider ; and, after he had steadied his armwith a couple of small glasses of brown brandy, adead shut. Add to these accomplishments great skill CO. •: - - in the breeding and crossing of terriers and bull-dogs, a competent knowledge of the odds, and sometalent for making up a betting-book, and you havea notion of the character of Young Martin, the heirof the Grange. His accomplishments, however, were very muchkept under by the rigid rule of his fathers house- A MIXCE-rlE. 61 hold. The squire, if not an actual miser, was ahard, griping, eccentric old man. He allowed hisson to keep a horse on the condition that he shouldbe his own groom. This, Young Martin, who, as weknow, had tastes smacking rather of the stable thanthe drawing-room, readily consented to, and daysfrequently passed over without the father and sonmeeting—the former passing nearly all his time incompany with Crooks, his old servitor, with whomhe also took his meals ;
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Keywords: ., bookauthorbrowneha, bookcentury1800, bookdecade1850, bookyear1856
