and seeing something dangling out of the bundle, I stopped her and said some of the clothes were dropping out, and offered to push them in for her; but before I did that, I drew the thing a little farther out, and found it to be the sleeve of a chemise, which was trimmed with rich lace, and set on so full, that I am sure there was a yard and quarter on every sleeve, that is, as near as I could guess, for I had not time to measure it." "It is a mercy," said Miss Kennedy, "that Sir Thomas's estate is entailed, or Mrs Lennox would soon make his acres fly. I hear she is running through her own fortune-It is to be hoped that her daughter's money is properly secured." "By the by, what kind of child is she?" asked Mrs Smellarat. "The most spoiled brat I ever saw. She snatched my parasol out of my hand, and whisked it up and down ten times in a minute; and, while I sat in agonies, expecting every instant to see it broken into fifty pieces, Mrs Lennox looked on with the most cool indifference; and she had even the impertinence to smile at my uneasiness." "Bless me!" exclaimed Mrs Barton, "there's my cook coming-what can she want? I'm sure I put Mr Barton's beeftea at the side of his bed before I came out; but may be, honest man, he is wearying for me." Betty now entered, and informed Mrs Barton that her cook came to tell her that little Tommy had almost pinched off one of his fingers with the sugar pincers; that one of the girls had burned its arm by falling on the grate; that the alarm had thrown the gout into Mr Barton's stomach, and that the Doctor had been sent for." my "Dear me," said Mrs Barton, "I think bairns are never out of mischief-Come away, Nancy-farewell, ladies, you may thank your stars that you are not plagued with a sick husband and unruly bairns." As soon as they were fairly shut out, Miss Kennedy exclaimed, "Did you ever know such an insufferable fool? Thank our stars that we have not husbands and children! it is a pity that those have both who can manage neither. I dare say Mr Barton won't see her face for another hour; it is a perfect shame for wives to gad about at this rate. Poor Mr Barton is really very much to be pitied: To be sure it is said that his neighbour, Miss Nettles, looks in upon him pretty frequently; but in my opinion, wives should look after their own husbands, for if they don't, others will." "Indeed," replied Miss Macdonald, "Mrs Barton is a terrible gossip, and very ill-natured; she had the impudence to tell Miss Nettles, that she always knew when Mr Mackinlay was in the village by my visits to his sister; as if I cared for Mr Mackinlay !" "Ay," said Mrs Smellarat," she is too fond of tittle-tattle; it is her greatest fault; there is more scandal talked at her tea-table, than in the whole village put together; but speaking of scandal, have you heard that Captain Paul has married his cook ?" "Married his cook! the thing seems out of nature," exclaimed Miss Macdonald. 66 Indeed," replied Mrs Smellarat, "it is but too much in nature in these degenerate days. This accounts for his having shied his friends lately. I have known him whisk down a street if he saw me half a mile off. I guessed he was going to do some daft-like thing." "This affair accounts for what I saw on Sunday last. Do you know, I met his cook dressed in a silk gown, and a Leghorn bonnet, with a long dangling yellow feather: thinks I to myself, your wages never bought that. Do you know if he has left this ?" "Not he," replied Mrs Smellarat; “but when I came past to-day, I noticed that all the blinds were down, which shows he has some sense of shame: he had better leave the village; I'm sure he'll not be much missed, particularly as there are so many new families come to live here, which has raised the price of everything. Mr Jockeyweight has clapped twopence on his beef |