Adelaide sign of "General Store."

"Much as usual, Mrs. Peck. You went away rather in a hurry," said Mrs.
Smith.

"Oh! Peck had to go off to the sheep-shearing, and I had the offer of a
good nursing in the country, so I had to move at a minute's warning,
you see. But how are you getting on here?"

"Much as usual, Mrs. Peck; but the news is, that my man came home last
night, after being at them diggings for four years, and not writing me
a word, good or bad, for three and more; and now he expects me to be as
sweet as sugar to him after serving me so; and me had all his children
to keep and do for, and got no help from him no more nor if he was
dead; and now he says as how I give him the cold shoulder."

"Well, to be sure, and no wonder either! When a woman's been served so,
she has the right to look a bit stiff," said Mrs. Peck, who had heard
during her stay in Adelaide that Mrs. Smith had passed judgment by
default, and was going to take to herself another mate, which was
nothing more than the absent Smith deserved.

"Well, to be sure, that beats cock-fighting; and what does Harris say
to all this?"

"Why, in course, he's off, and I'm in such a quandary," said Mrs. Smith.

"You wasn't married to Harris, out and out, was you?" said Mrs. Peck,
who had a keen relish for such interesting news as this.

"No; there was two or three things as put it off; but the banns was
gave in last Sunday, and I had got my gown for the wedding, and lovely
it looks--and here's Smith as savage as if he had been writing to me
every month and sending me money."

"I suppose he's come home as poor as a rat, like the rest of them?"
said Mrs. Peck.

"No, no, I cannot just say that," said Mrs. Smith, relenting a little,
"He says he never had no luck till the last six months, and now he has
come back with three hundred pounds; and he's been behaving very
genteel with it, I must say, and brought presents for me and for the
children--there's a shawl for me as is quite a picter--so rich in the
colours; but I can't say I feel quite pleased at the way he neglected
me so long. And poor Harris, too; I can't just get him out of my head
all at once."

"That's natural enough," said Mrs. Peck with a sympathizing sigh.

Here Mr. Smith came into the shop, and started at the sight of Mrs.
Peck.

"Well! who'd have thought of seeing you here, Mrs.? I don't rightly
recollect your name, but I know you as well as possible," said he.

"Mrs. Peck is my