18 ELIZABETH'S MOTHER DIES. 



better crops ; and if we poor folks only 

 talked religion less, and did religion more, 

 we shouldn't hear so much sneering at meet- 

 ingers. 



About a week after I got engaged, ray 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 the same washing, and the 

 house was to be given up when I 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 every pockmark upon 

 it. I helped 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 off rather affronted at this, saw 

 Margaret and some more, and started for my 

 new place, near eighty miles off. It was 

 morning when I got there, and early, so I 

 had a good look round, and found every 

 thing very badly done : all was slovenly 



