e wood-work, a third white-washed the walls, another mended
the paling, and old Shanty did any little job in his way which might
be required.

The labours of love never hang long on hand, and though the old tenant
had gone out only at Lady-day, the hawthorn had scarcely blossomed when
the affectionate people pronounced the work complete.

Poor Dymock had become very restless when he saw the changes which were
going on at the Tower; but when there was no longer an excuse to be
found for delaying the removal, he gave way altogether, or rather, we
should say, made a cut and run, and went off to botanize the lakes in
Westmoreland, with a knapsack on his back, and a guinea in his pocket.

Before he went, however, he had opened his heart to his daughter Tamar,
saying, "I now take leave, dear child, of the life of a gentleman;
henceforward I must content myself with the corner of a kitchen ingle;
and this, truly, is a berth," he added, "too good for a cumberer of the
ground, such as I am." He said this as he passed through the gate of the
court, giving his adopted one time only to snatch his hand and kiss it,
and he was gone beyond her hearing before she could relieve her heart
with a burst of tears. After a while, however, she dried them up, and
began to busy her mind in thinking what she could do to render the
cottage comfortable for her beloved guardian; and having at length
formed her plan, she ran to Mrs. Margaret, and asked her permission to
take the arrangement of their new house.

"Let me," said she, "see all the things put in their places; you and I,
dear aunt Margaret, will have to ourselves a kitchen as neat as a
palace, and we will make a study of the inner room for Mr. Dymock."

"What!" said the old lady, "and give up our parlour?"

"Dear mother," replied the young girl carelessly, "if there is to be no
maid but poor Tamar, why should not the kitchen be the happiest place,
for her own dear mother? You shall have your chair in the corner,
between the window and the fire-place, and your little work-table by it,
and then you can direct me without moving from your needle. Oh! dear,
aunt Margaret," she added, "I am beginning to think that we shall be
happier in the cottage, than we have been in the Castle; we shall have
fewer cares, and shall have a pleasure in putting our small means to
the best. Do not the scatterings of the flock, aunt Margaret, make us as
warm hose as the prime of the fleece?"

"That may be