480 ^^ Royal Families'' — Whence Came They? [October, 

 tlie " Goat and Compasses? " So mind tliy ways, girl, that " 



The good dame loved the sound of her own voice, so her tongue 

 might have carried her on a long way, but for the interruption 

 caused by the entrance of a gentleman whom the worthy hostess 

 welcomed most warmly. 



" Ah, dame," said the new-comer, a stout respectably dressed per- 

 son of middle age, " how sells thy good ale ? scarcely a drop left in 

 thy cellar, I hope ?" " enough left to give your worship a draught 

 after your long walk " she said as she rose to fulfill the purpose im- 

 plied by her words. 



" I walked not," was the gentleman's reply, " but took a pair of oars, 

 dame, down the river. Thou knowest that I always come to the Goat 

 and Compasses myself to see if thou lackest anything in my line." — 

 " Ah, Sir," replied the landlady, " it is by that way of doing business 

 that you have made yourself, as all the city knows, the richest man in 

 the Brewer's Guild, if not in all London itself." 



'• Well, dame, the better for me if thy words be true," said the brew- 

 er with a comj)laisant smile ; ''but let us have the mug, and this very 

 pretty friend of thine here shall pleasure us, mayhap, by tasting with 

 us?" 



The lively landlady was not long in procuring a stoup of foaming 

 ale, knowing that her visitor never set an example hurtful to his own 

 interests by countenancing the consumption of foreign liquors : 



" Right, my goodhostess," said the brewer, when he had tasted from 

 the brimming tankard, " all right, well made and well kept, and that is 

 but giving both me and thee our dues. " Now, pretty one," said he, 

 filling a tankard beside him and addressing the silent country-girl, 

 " wilt thou not drink this to thy sweet heart's health ? " 



The poor girl thus suddenly addressed, with a blush of modest con- 

 fusion, declined, the proffered civility; seeing this, the lively landlady 

 exclaimed " come, come, silly thing, drink his worship's health, for he 

 is more likely to get thee a place for service, if it is to please him, than 

 John Hodge the wagoner. This poor girl has come many a mile," 

 continued the hostess, " to seek a place in town, that.she may burden 

 her family no more at home." " To seek service, dame ! " exclaim- 

 ed the brewer. " Why then perhaps it is well met with us. Has she 

 brought a character with her, or can you speak for her, dame ? " 



" She has never before been from home, sir, but her face is her 

 character," said the kind hearted hostess ; " I'll warrant she will make 

 thee a diligent and trusty servant, sir ?" 



y 



