please; but I don't think it would be a pleasure to me,--I don't feel as
if I could enjoy it; thank you all the same. But I did love that little
lad very dearly--I did," sobbing a little, "and I can't forget him and
make merry so soon."

"Well--I never!" exclaimed Anne, almost angrily.

"Indeed, Anne, I feel your kindness, and you and Bob have my best
wishes,--that's what you have; but even if I went, I should be thinking
all day of him, and of his poor, poor mother, and they say it's bad to
think very much on them that's dead, at a wedding."

"Nonsense," said Anne, "I'll take the risk of the ill-luck. After all,
what is marrying? Just a spree, Bob says. He often says he does not
think I shall make him a good wife, for I know nought about house
matters, wi' working in a factory; but he says he'd rather be uneasy wi'
me than easy wi' anybody else. There's love for you! And I tell him I'd
rather have him tipsy than any one else sober."

"Oh! Anne Dixon, hush! you don't know yet what it is to have a drunken
husband. I have seen something of it: father used to get fuddled, and,
in the long run, it killed mother, let alone--oh! Anne, God above only
knows what the wife of a drunken man has to bear. Don't tell," said she,
lowering her voice, "but father killed our little baby in one of his
bouts; mother never looked up again, nor father either, for that matter,
only his was in a different way. Mother will have gotten to little
Jemmie now, and they'll be so happy together,--and perhaps Franky too.
Oh!" said she, recovering herself from her train of thought, "never say
aught lightly of the wife's lot whose husband is given to drink!"

"Dear, what a preachment. I tell you what, Libbie, you're as born an
old maid as ever I saw. You'll never be married to either drunken or
sober."

Libbie's face went rather red, but without losing its meek expression.

"I know that as well as you can tell me; and more reason, therefore, as
God has seen fit to keep me out of woman's natural work, I should try
and find work for myself. I mean," seeing Anne Dixon's puzzled look,
"that as I know I'm never likely to have a home of my own, or a husband
that would look to me to make all straight, or children to watch over or
care for, all which I take to be woman's natural work, I must not lose
time in fretting and fidgetting after marriage, but just look about me
for somewhat else to do. I can see many a one misses it in this. They
will hanker aft