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 even if large, would be better suited to thy needs than two, and John has scarcely time for such work now."

"He has fully two weeks, and it is his trade, mother, and why not humor me since I am so soon to leave thee? I still have those silver shillings that thee has said were always mine, and I feel as if I ought to begin to be a woman of affairs and make my own purchases."

"Thee is a strange child, Ruth, and I am much concerned for thee, but I see no serious reason why thee should not have this whim, as thee calls it, carried out. Why does thee not ask father? and if he thinks proper, let him speak to John."

"Will the time never come when I can speak myself to John without the whole province raising its eyebrows? Wherever I go it is John, John, John; not shouted at me, but it might as well be, for that is the meaning of the noddings and smiles and wise looks of everybody in Chesterfield and Nottingham. I wish this same 'everybody' was just one person, and John would give him or it a ducking in