Sukie 



a-bear it, no, I can't," and there was a 

 tremor of reminiscent anger in her voice. 



'' Well, Susan," said my mother uncer- 

 tainly, laying down her knitting, and fum- 

 bling for her purse in one of her capacious 

 pockets, '' if you must you must ; at least, 

 I suppose so ; do you want to go to- 

 night ? '' She was thoroughly bewildered 

 and her hands trembled curiously. 



" No, no, Mrs. Hyde. I shan't go, I 

 sha'n't leave till you've got another body to 

 take my place ! " said the old servant in a 

 tone of would-be comfort. 



''Take your place? O Susan, what 

 will, what will your master say ? " and here 

 my mother began to cry. 



'' Aye, that's just it," said Sukie, hur- 

 riedly ; I came to tell you now, because I 

 couldn't a-bear to say it when Mr. Hyde 

 was here : I couldn't a-bear to stand up to 



him and say it " and she broke off 



suddenly and left the room. 



When the matter came to the hearing 

 of Sukie's brother, the maker of leather 

 breeches, he very rightly invited her to 

 come to be his housekeeper ; and she, to 

 our surprise, accepted his offer w^ithout 

 question, and without enthusiasm. The 

 truth is she was so dazed by this break 

 with the little old world she had lived in 

 20.^ 



