black cotton stocking than is
commonly seen in public); and, tossing her head, as she looked at Mrs
Varden, repeated--

'Ho, good gracious!'

'I think you said that once before, my dear,' observed the locksmith.

'Times is changed, is they, mim!' cried Miggs, bridling; 'you can spare
me now, can you? You can keep 'em down without me? You're not in wants
of any one to scold, or throw the blame upon, no longer, an't you, mim?
I'm glad to find you've grown so independent. I wish you joy, I'm sure!'

With that she dropped a curtsey, and keeping her head erect, her ear
towards Mrs Varden, and her eye on the rest of the company, as she
alluded to them in her remarks, proceeded:

'I'm quite delighted, I'm sure, to find sich independency, feeling sorry
though, at the same time, mim, that you should have been forced into
submissions when you couldn't help yourself--he he he! It must be great
vexations, 'specially considering how ill you always spoke of Mr Joe--to
have him for a son-in-law at last; and I wonder Miss Dolly can put
up with him, either, after being off and on for so many years with a
coachmaker. But I HAVE heerd say, that the coachmaker thought twice
about it--he he he!--and that he told a young man as was a frind of his,
that he hoped he knowed better than to be drawed into that; though she
and all the family DID pull uncommon strong!'

Here she paused for a reply, and receiving none, went on as before.

'I HAVE heerd say, mim, that the illnesses of some ladies was all
pretensions, and that they could faint away, stone dead, whenever they
had the inclinations so to do. Of course I never see sich cases with my
own eyes--ho no! He he he! Nor master neither--ho no! He he he! I HAVE
heerd the neighbours make remark as some one as they was acquainted
with, was a poor good-natur'd mean-spirited creetur, as went out
fishing for a wife one day, and caught a Tartar. Of course I never to my
knowledge see the poor person himself. Nor did you neither, mim--ho no.
I wonder who it can be--don't you, mim? No doubt you do, mim. Ho yes. He
he he!'

Again Miggs paused for a reply; and none being offered, was so oppressed
with teeming spite and spleen, that she seemed like to burst.

'I'm glad Miss Dolly can laugh,' cried Miggs with a feeble titter. 'I
like to see folks a-laughing--so do you, mim, don't you? You was always
glad to see people in spirits, wasn't you, mim? And you always did your
best to keep 'em cheerful, did