he
stared foolish-like a bit before he kissed her, and the poor lass's face
getting up and the tear in her eye at being slighted. And that put Patty
out for one thing: and then she wouldn't give away the ribbon to the
fastest runner--the lads run a hundred yards to the bride, for ribbon
and kiss, you know;--wasn't the ribbon she grudged, poor wench; but the
fastest runner in Cairnhope town is that Will Gibbon, a nasty, ugly,
slobbering chap, that was always after her, and Philip jealous of him;
so she did for the best, and Will Gibbon safe to win it. But the village
lads they didn't see the reason, and took it all to themselves. Was she
better than their granddam? and were they worse than their grandsires?
They ran on before, and fired the anvil when she passed: just fancy! an
affront close to her own door: and, sir, she walked in a doors crying.
There was a wedding for you! George the blacksmith was that hurt at
their making free with his smithy to affront her, he lifted his arm
for the first time, and pretty near killed a couple of them, poor
thoughtless bodies. Well, sir, Phil Davis always took a drop, you know,
and, instead of mending, he got worse; they live with father, and of
course he has only to go to the barrel; old-fashioned farmers like us
don't think to spy on the ale. He was so often in liquor, I checked him;
but Patty indulged him in every thing. By-and-by my lord gets ever so
civil to me; 'What next?' said I to myself. One fine evening we are set
upstairs at our tea; in he comes drunk, and says many things we had to
look at one another and excuse. Presently he tells us all that he has
made a mistake; he has wedded Patty, and I'm the one he likes the best.
But I thought the fool was in jest; but Patty she gave a cry as if a
knife had gone through her heart. Then my blood got up in a moment.
'That's an affront to all three,' said I: 'and take your answer, ye
drunken sow,' said I. I took him by the scruff of the neck and just
turned him out of the room and sent him to the bottom of the stairs
headforemost. Then Patty she quarreled with me, and father he sided with
her. And so I gave them my blessing, and told them to send for me
in trouble; and I left the house I was born in. It all comes of her
changing her name, and not her letter." Here a few tears interrupted
further comment.

Henry consoled her, and asked her what she was going to do.

She said she did not know; but she had a good bit of money put by,