RANGE OF APPRENTICESHIP. 167 



** you give us a pretty character, then/^ " A very good one,i/ou.''* 

 said I, " for Mr. Crumplehorn has been speaking of women's 

 hatred. You, I presume, have shewn him nothing but love ; so 

 you are exempted, without you wish to criminate yourself." 

 "Without I wish to do what ? Mr. ,'* said Mrs Crumple- 

 horn. " Do you not recollect," I answered — conscious that the 

 word criminate was not understood — " Mr. Crumplehorn's remark 

 was upon women's hatred — and have you ever shewn him hatred?^' 

 "I?" with quick surprise, said Mrs. C. "no, pity forbid!" 

 "Well, then," said Mr. C. "why do you interrupt us : you hear 



what Mr. says." " I beg pardon — 't is a mistake, I suppose, 



aad no harm," said the wife. " No, no, Peggy," replied the 

 husband. "No, no," said I, "only a mistake which a queen 

 might make, and with a good grace too, if so happily as you.'* 

 " Oh, yes," replied Mrs. C. " I 'm as happy as a queen." "Ay ! 

 to be sure, and I as a king," said Mr. C. "Ay, to be sure, and 

 I as your royal guest or very loving subject." Here was, from 

 each, a laugh, as a tasteful finis to Mrs. C.'s notices, which 

 enabled her good partner to resume : — 



" The time arrived when Peggy's servitude ended : this both 

 father and mother knew : but I charged my maid not to say a 

 word about it, until I had made up my own mind how to pro- 

 ceed on her behalf." 



" Peggy had friends in town ; and my first object was to learn 

 their circumstances and characters. This was shortly accom- 

 plished ; and being therefore satisfied it would be safe to place 

 her under their guardianship, I made arrangement to that effect; 

 but without the knowledge of Peggy. My principle object in so 

 doing was to save her and myself the mortification of hearing it 

 said, that she was in the receipt of any article unless from me; for 

 the first thing that attracts the keen eye and the more scurrilous 

 tongue of country lasses is new apparel. Matters thus far settled, 

 my next step was to communicate to Peggy what I had done, and 

 to request her to announce her intentions to mother. This accom- 

 plished , it was only now left for me to follow, but, hastily, I 

 thought wrong, fancying a change might take place in father's 

 feelings. After an almost killing patience of three months, I 

 found him as unflinching as ever ; and this put the spur to my 

 own resolve of giving notice to quit. His reply was short, " Well 

 cheeld go, if thee like — but I hope thee wilt soon see thy error.' " 

 " I went. Youth was on my side, if youth may be termed 

 six and twenty. I went, sure enough, and sorrowfully enough. 



