.-I 1 ' MEANNESS. 69 



her daughter-in-law three days to count 

 over the copper coins pence, halfpence, 

 and farthings she had hoarded from the 

 sale of milk, and other little gatherings 

 from the poor. Once, I remember, I 

 had occasion to call at the house of a 

 wealthy farmer, on a Sunday evening 

 in the depth of winter, when I observed 

 a poor servant girl sitting shivering over 

 the embers of a wood fire on the hearth, 

 without a candle, and surrounded by 

 appearances of the utmost penury ; while 

 outside the walls immense stacks of corn 

 and hay, and yards full of healthy and 

 thriving cattle, gave unequivocal evidence 

 of wealth and prosperity. 



But these were, perhaps, solitary ex- 

 amples ; for there were many families 

 who did not indulge in this, their seem- 

 ingly ruling passion, to so great an ex- 

 tent. Among them was my friend the 

 brewer I had inducted into the coach- 

 ing firm, from whose family we both 



