HOW IT WAS I GOT BACK. 45 



mahogany cupboard, with its glass front and 

 little silver things that I had left with the 

 shopkeeper, that was back too. 



" How's this, mother?" I said to my 

 wife; " how's this?" But, poor thing, she 

 couldn't speak ; and so to tea we went ; but, 

 do what I would, I couldn't swallow a bit to 

 eat, only a cup or two ; and I was off and on 

 my seat so often, and here and there to look 

 at things, I was just like a chip in an eddy. 

 After tea, I set to work and got the bed- 

 steads put together, and things up -stairs 

 all to rights ; and when the children were 

 laid down, I had my wife tell me all about 

 how it was I'd got back. It was not the 

 new shawl and shoes made her so cheerful 

 the evening before ; but the squire had been 

 down whilst I was out, and told her I was 

 to be his gardener again; but that she wasn't 

 to say a word to me about it, for he did not 

 want me to know ; and he 'd send the cart and 

 take all the things up to the cottage, and she 

 was to go up and make all as comfortable as 

 she could before I got back from my work. 

 When she thanked him, she was like all 

 womenfolks, she out with all our troubles, 

 and what we 'd suffered one way and another ; 



