The dark green drag, with all its winter furniture of
gaily decorated bearskins, stood half-seen beneath the low-arched
wagon-shed.
The walls of the room--the best room of the tavern--were paneled with
the dark glossy wood of the black cherry, and a huge mantel-piece of the
same material, took up at least one-half of the side opposite the larger
window, while on the hearth below reposed a glowing bed of red-hot
hickory ashes, a foot at least in depth, a huge log of that glorious
fuel blazing upon the massive andirons. Two large, deep gun-cases, a
leathern magazine of shot, and sundry canisters of diamond gunpowder,
Brough's, were displayed on a long table under the end window--a
four-horse whip, and two fly-rods in India-rubber cases, stood in the
chimney-corner; while reveling in the luxurious warmth of the piled
hearth lay basking on the rug, three exquisitely formed Blenheim
spaniels of the large breed--short-legged and bony, with ears that
almost swept the ground as they stood upright, and coats as soft and
lustrous as floss silk.
On a round table, which should have occupied the centre of the parlor,
now pulled up to the window-seat, whereon reclined the worthies, stood a
large pitcher of iced water; a square case-bottle of cut crystal filled,
as the flavor which pervaded the whole room sufficiently demonstrated,
with superb old Antigua Shrub; several large rummers corresponding to
the fashion of the bottle; a twisted taper of green wax, and a small
silver plate with six or eight cheroots, real manillas.
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