the making of it; and though poor folks be poor folks, yet they are not cats and dogs." "You are in a great error, Mortlake,” said Michael; "I believe no scrap but butcher's ever went to that soup shop, and it is a sad prejudice you have all got. I am very certain there is no better soup in this parish, not even at the Rectory. Suppose

send for a basin, or give you a ticket to go and fetch it?" "As you please, Sir." "Well, you shall go then," said Michael. The soup was brought, and the shepherd confessed it was excellent." "Well then, here is soup for your father, and as you have very good wages, Mortlake, I think it will be more for your credit to allow him from your wages so much a week." The shepherd put his hat on one side, and scratching his ear, said, " he did not know as his mistress would consent." Michael, who thought he meant Esther, assured him that his mistress and he were talking of it together, and that they both agreed it was quite the duty of every one who could afford it do do every thing for their families without help from the parish." "But, Sir, I mean my wife, and I thinks she would object." "Oh, Mortlake, I hope not. Your parents did not go to the parish to bring you up, Mortlake." "I can't say as

they did, Sir; my father was a miller, and

Be

picked up a very decent livelihood." "And you may do the same, Mortlake, and still put by a portion for your father." "You don't mean, Sir, as I should keep father, do you?" "Who kept you before you could get your own bread, Mortlake?" "Why, to be sure, father did; but then that is quite different, I can't make father do as I bid him. It arn't to be expected. If my children were naughty, I would put them to bed out of my way; but if father is cross I must bear it. sides, you see I was just getting the fore horse by the head, and have laid by a little against a rainy day, but ifI be to allow father, that will all go. "But when your father's well he maintains himself, Mortlake; and I should think it would make him well sooner, to find that he had a son who cared for him. Now I tell you what, you have been very careful this last spring time, and I do not think I lost above one lamb. Now I tell you what I will do for you: I will give you thirty shillings towards keeping your father, sooner than you should go to the parish." Why, that is very genteel of you, Sir; why, thirty shillings is as much as father would want." But, hark ye, what, Mortlake, you are not to allowance this money, and when it is gone, say you can do no more; no, your wife must go

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and see him every day, and help your poor old mother to attend him, and whatever the doctor orders you must get for him; and when my thirty shillings is gone, you are not to harden your heart, and say you can do no more.' 66 What, Sir, I harden my heart against father; no, Sir, that could not be, for I am uncommon fond of father." "Have you not a brother, Mortlake ?" To be sure I have, Sir, one as lives at Farmer Jennings's: he is the shepherd there, Sir" "So I thought, well go to him; say nothing of what I am going to give you, but endeavour to persuade him to help your poor father now in the time. of his need."

The shepherd did as his master advised. "What," says his brother, "I allow him. Are not the parish bound to allow him?" "Ah!" said Mortlake, "did not father provide for us when we were young? and can't we do something for him now? why Tom, I thought you was fond of your father," said Isaac. And so I be uncommon fond; but why should I save the parish, arn't they bound? Where didst ye get these notions in your head? I'm thinking as thy master helped ye to it, so over-righteous all at once," and not one penny could he get from his brother.

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Not I, because I'm an out-door servant, but master eats it in his own family, then he has it washed and cleaned, and kiln dried; and I heard him say, as it turned out beautiful." "Why, it seems you are very fond of your master?" "Yes I be, I never had a kinder, and never expect to get such another.” "Oh! I suppose he lets you have your own way. Why, not at first, but now I likes his ways so well, that I commonly mind he saves me time, he saves me labour, because he gives us all a right way to do every thing." "Well, this is a famous man, this master of your's; pray, what is his name?" Kemp." "Farmer Kemp. Oh, oh," said the landlord, "I have heard of him. that's he that wheedled his old master out of all his property, and cheated Moss's sister Farmer Finch's wife that was killed. Hardly could the carter wait the conclusion of this short speech. "My master wheedle, my master cheat; I'd fight the best man in England who should presume to say it; I have known master ever since he was a boy, and I know all his outgoings and his incomings, and that is more than any body here does, I believe. I have heard them as knows very well, say that master fretted more when he got that' money than if he had lost it."

Landlord. "But you won't say as Mrs. Finch was delighted with it, you won't say as Miss Jemima and Mr. James were pleased.' "Yes, I will say that; and for why? because I know it. Why, have not Mr. James been living at master's house for these three months? and have not Mrs. Finch and Miss Jemima just left? You know that, don't you, Tommy?" "To be sure I do. And Giles, what do you think I heard Madam Finch say when she got on her horse; and I held 'em, you know?" "I can't tell," said Giles. " Why, master was standing, putting things comfortable as she sat on her horse, gathering up the bridle in her hand. • God bless you, Mr. Kemp,' says she; "thank you for your kind care of me and mine. God will bless you, you good young man.'

Why," says the landlord," that don't seem as if she was very angry, to be sure; but is not your master a Methodist? Is not he one of the saints? Don't he pretend to be better than his neighbours?" "I don't know what he pretends to," said Giles, "but he certainly is better than his neighbours, I am sure there is no farmer like him in our parish, I thinks he is almost as good as the minister." "Ah, that's what I have heard," said the landlord," and I have heard that he and the