s Ready-Money Jack keeps up rousing fires in the
winter-time. The old people of the village recollect many stories
about this goblin, that were current in their young days. It was
thought to have brought good luck to the house, and to be the reason
why the Tibbets were always beforehand in the world, and why their
farm was always in better order, their hay got in sooner, and their
corn better stacked, than that of their neighbours. The present Mrs.
Tibbets, at the time of her courtship, had a number of these stories
told her by the country gossips; and when married, was a little
fearful about living in a house where such a hobgoblin was said to
haunt: Jack, however, who has always treated this story with great
contempt, assured her that there was no spirit kept about his house
that he could not at any time lay in the Red Sea with one flourish of
his cudgel. Still his wife has never got completely over her notions
on the subject, but has a horseshoe nailed on the threshold, and keeps
a branch of rauntry, or mountain ash, with its red berries, suspended
from one of the great beams in the parlour--a sure protection from all
evil spirits.

These stories, however, as I before observed, are fast fading away,
and in another generation or two will probably be completely
forgotten. There is something, however, about these rural
superstitions, that is extremely pleasing to the imagination;
particularly those which relate to the good-humoured race of household
demons, and indeed to the whole fairy mythology. The English have
given an inexplicable charm to these superstitions, by the manner in
which they have associated them with whatever is most homefelt and
delightful in nature. I do not know a more fascinating race of beings
than these little fabled people, that haunted the southern sides of
hills and mountains, lurked in flowers and about fountain-heads,
glided through key-holes into ancient halls, watched over farm-houses
and dairies, danced on the green by summer moonlight, and on the
kitchen-hearth in winter. They seem to accord with the nature of
English housekeeping and English scenery. I always have them in mind,
when I see a fine old English mansion, with its wide hall and spacious
kitchen; or a venerable farm-house, in which there is so much fireside
comfort and good housewifery. There was something of national
character in their love of order and cleanliness; in the vigilance
with which they watched over the economy o