the
fathers collecting the prayer-books, until all streamed out through the
old archway into the green churchyard and began their neighbourly talk,
their simple civilities, and their invitations to tea; for on a Sunday
every one was ready to receive a guest--it was the day when all must be
in their best clothes and their best humour.

Mr. and Mrs. Poyser paused a minute at the church gate: they were
waiting for Adam to Come up, not being contented to go away without
saying a kind word to the widow and her sons.

"Well, Mrs. Bede," said Mrs. Poyser, as they walked on together, "you
must keep up your heart; husbands and wives must be content when they've
lived to rear their children and see one another's hair grey."

"Aye, aye," said Mr. Poyser; "they wonna have long to wait for one
another then, anyhow. And ye've got two o' the strapping'st sons i'
th' country; and well you may, for I remember poor Thias as fine a
broad-shouldered fellow as need to be; and as for you, Mrs. Bede, why
you're straighter i' the back nor half the young women now."

"Eh," said Lisbeth, "it's poor luck for the platter to wear well when
it's broke i' two. The sooner I'm laid under the thorn the better. I'm
no good to nobody now."

Adam never took notice of his mother's little unjust plaints; but Seth
said, "Nay, Mother, thee mustna say so. Thy sons 'ull never get another
mother."

"That's true, lad, that's true," said Mr. Poyser; "and it's wrong on us
to give way to grief, Mrs. Bede; for it's like the children cryin' when
the fathers and mothers take things from 'em. There's One above knows
better nor us."

"Ah," said Mrs. Poyser, "an' it's poor work allays settin' the dead
above the livin'. We shall all on us be dead some time, I reckon--it 'ud
be better if folks 'ud make much on us beforehand, i'stid o' beginnin'
when we're gone. It's but little good you'll do a-watering the last
year's crop."

"Well, Adam," said Mr. Poyser, feeling that his wife's words were,
as usual, rather incisive than soothing, and that it would be well to
change the subject, "you'll come and see us again now, I hope. I hanna
had a talk with you this long while, and the missis here wants you to
see what can be done with her best spinning-wheel, for it's got broke,
and it'll be a nice job to mend it--there'll want a bit o' turning.
You'll come as soon as you can now, will you?"

Mr. Poyser paused and looked round while he was speaking, as if to see
where Hett