12 ' NEW AND BETTER LODGINGS. 



because her husband, who was once coach- 

 man in the family, was killed by one of the 

 horses flinging him at exercise. The butler 

 was to give me the offer of a place, too, in the 

 stable, and out of livery ; but I begged off, 

 for I did not like stable ways ; and I knew 

 that at exercise before breakfast the coach- 

 man and grooms always had something to 

 drink at a public-house they passed by ; and 

 I hadn't then forgot what my father said at 

 parting about drinking, and its making my 

 bundle so small. So I begged off ; and when 

 I told the reason, the butler said I was a 

 great fool, for " what harm did a glass do a 

 man?' 7 and yet all the while his nose and 

 face were giving the lie to his tongue. 



After work I went to my lodgings ; and 

 queer enough I felt when I went in with my 

 bundle of little better than rags, for I'd my 

 best on my back. I hadn't the heartiest of 

 welcomes. The old lady did washing for the 

 Hall servants, and the cottage wasn't the 

 largest. She had two sons ; one was coach- 

 man to the squire, and one a servant some- 

 where else ; and she had one daughter, who 

 helped at home. This girl was two years 

 older than me, and so marked with the small- 



