APRIL. 91 



we poor folks only talked religion less, and did religion more, we 

 shouldn't hear so much sneering at meetingers. 



About a week after I got engaged, my old landlady died very 

 suddenly, which was a great blow to her daughter, for it turned her 

 upon the world ; but she got lodgings, and the promise of all the 

 washing, and the house was to be given up when 1 went away ; and 

 till then an aunt came to stop with Elizabeth. She and her mother 

 had been all along very kind to me ; and when the day came for me 

 to go, it seemed another leaving home, for I had looked so long at 

 that face, that I knew eyery pockmark upon it. I helped to get her 

 washing-tubs, lines, and things to her new home, and then bid her 

 good-bye. I thought I saw a tear when she said, " I wish you well, 

 or I would not say. Don't you be caught by Margaret." 



I went otf rather affronted at this, saw Margaret and some more, 

 and started for my new place, near eighty miles off. It was morn- 

 ing when I got there, and early, so I had a good look round, and 

 found every thing very badly done : all was slovenly and dirty, and 

 at sixes and sevens, and yet there was a good deal for that part and 

 those days ; there was a conservatory, greenhouse, and pits, with 

 two houses of grapes. It was November, and not a flower. As 

 soon as my new employer was up, I was ordered in. He first asked 

 me how I liked the look of things, and I told him very well indeed. 

 He said he was glad of that ; his old gardener that had died was " a 

 very clever fellow," and he hoped I should be as good. And I have 

 heard this same said many a time since by gentlemen over as stupid 

 fellows as ever robbed a real gardener of a place. He told me, in a 

 way I was quite strange to, that he wished to see every body about 

 him happy and comfortable, and that he must have no quarrelling ; 

 and if those under me did not behave as I wished, I was to tell 

 them civilly, and if they did not mend then, to bring them before 

 him. He said I must join a benefit-club that the clergyman managed, 

 and try and save something beside. " And mind," said he, " though 

 you are upon trial, what you are at first is your own pattern, and 

 I must have all the piece like it." He then told me to go to the 

 butler, and have my breakfast in the servants' hall. It was a hall 

 to the one I'd left ; for though I never eat in that one, I knew those 

 that did by heart, and pleased enough I was to see the difference. 

 I don't mean that my new acquaintances were extraordinary, not a 

 bit of it ; only there was something about 'em that made you feel 

 comfortable, and they had no stupid airs. 



Now here's another thing that's no puzzle, and yet I'll set it for 

 an answer. How do you account for some hall-porters and livery 

 and other servants being so saucy to decent people in some places, 

 when in others, ay and very often where there's real rank too, all 

 the servants are so civil and respectful } I've seen so much of thiSy 

 that let me see the servants, and I'll tell you what the masters and 

 mistresses are without seeing them. 



[To be continued.] 



