18 AWAKENING OF ENGLAND. 



In the leisurely way of those who live in 

 intimate contact with the oak, whose lives are 

 never fretted by hurry, he told me how two 

 years ago his wife had proposed that he should 

 buy a cottage near by that was about to be 

 sold. He scouted the proposition. Where 

 was the money coming from ? She then 

 pointedly asked him how much he had. He 

 declared his worldly wealth at £20, the accretion 

 of little gifts and of " overplusses " from tree- 

 felling and bark - stripping. Thereupon his 

 wife exclaimed that they could do it. She 

 herself owned to having £40, and the cottage 

 could be had for £60. " I knew," remarked 

 the woodman, " she ad put by summat, but I 

 'ad no idea how much. Then there was £4 

 for the writings," he added, thoroughly enjoy- 

 ing the situation of each saving in secret. 



The secret teapot bank of the wife amazed 

 the husband as much as it did the squire and 

 myself. I asked him how it w^as done, for his 

 earnings did not amount to more than 3s. a 

 day at most. He informed me that his wife 

 had saved most when their sons were lads, 

 putting by the money paid in for their board 

 and lodging. 



Through Andover once more we come 



