I beg your attention, kind readers, while I share an episode from my past. The events that I shall relate occurred while I was the guest of Lord D., at his hunting box. One afternoon, while D. was riding with the hounds, in consequence of a housemaid telling me there was a litter of kittens in the hayloft, I wandered down to the stables. Only one groom was there, a strong and burly young fellow, with his shirtsleeves rolled up to show sun-browned, brawny forearms.
He had a plain face, but there was such pleasing openness in his expression, such frank and innocent admiration in his eyes as he watched me approach, that I found myself smiling warmly at him as I requested that he show me where the kittens were.
The groom laid aside his broom and led me to the back of the stables, where a lad
