PHCEBE ELLIOT. 385 



countenance was not of the most placable descrip- 

 tion a Cross ! she's always cross." What a 

 dreadful lot, thought I, to be cast with a woman 

 always cross. I congratulated myself on having a 

 partner whose " voice was ever soft, gentle and low." 

 Always cross was ringing in my ears, when I saw 

 a respectable elderly-looking man coming towards 

 us. " There comes master/ 5 said the boy, accom- 

 panying this piece of information with a side glance 

 at his virago of a mistress, who still kept her 

 station by the side of the water, evidently intended 

 as a hint that his master came in for his share of 

 abuse, a circumstance which probably afforded 

 the boy no small degree of satisfaction. The ap- 

 pearance of the old man was much in his favour. 

 He was of a large and athletic form, and above 

 the common height, his head and shoulders were 

 slightly bent, apparently caused more from de- 

 pression of mind than from age. I fancied that 

 his countenance must have once borne the stamp 

 of cheerfulness and good humour, but that domes- 

 tic troubles and other trials had occasioned his 

 downcast and melancholy look. On addressing 

 him, he raised his hat respectfully from his head, 

 and appeared pleased with being noticed. " That 

 good woman was, then, your wife," I enquired. 

 The old man answered with a sigh, as hopeless 

 and desponding as ever came from human breast, 

 " She is my wife, Sir, and a precious burthen I 

 s 



