ss." But we
always saw that she smoothed her apron, and did her hair up afterwards,
and that Mistress Fry went home at night with a cold pig's foot or a
bowl of dripping.

[Illustration: 186.jpg Mistress Ridd]

Therefore, on that very night, as I could not well speak to mother
about it, without seeming undutiful, after lighting the three young
ladies--for so in sooth they called themselves--all the way home with
our stable-lanthorn, I begged good leave of Farmer Nicholas (who had
hung some way behind us) to say a word in private to him, before he
entered his own house.

"Wi' all the plaisure in laife, my zon," he answered very graciously,
thinking perhaps that I was prepared to speak concerning Sally.

"Now, Farmer Nicholas Snowe," I said, scarce knowing how to begin it,
"you must promise not to be vexed with me, for what I am going to say to
you."

"Vaxed wi' thee! Noo, noo, my lad. I 'ave a knowed thee too long for
that. And thy veyther were my best friend, afore thee. Never wronged his
neighbours, never spak an unkind word, never had no maneness in him.
Tuk a vancy to a nice young 'ooman, and never kep her in doubt about it,
though there wadn't mooch to zettle on her. Spak his maind laike a man,
he did, and right happy he were wi' her. Ah, well a day! Ah, God knoweth
best. I never shall zee his laike again. And he were the best judge of a
dung-heap anywhere in this county."

"Well, Master Snowe," I answered him, "it is very handsome of you to
say so. And now I am going to be like my father, I am going to speak my
mind."

"Raight there, lad; raight enough, I reckon. Us has had enough of
pralimbinary."

"Then what I want to say is this--I won't have any one courting my
mother."

"Coortin' of thy mother, lad?" cried Farmer Snowe, with as much
amazement as if the thing were impossible; "why, who ever hath been
dooin' of it?"

"Yes, courting of my mother, sir. And you know best who comes doing it."

"Wull, wull! What will boys be up to next? Zhud a' thought herzelf wor
the proper judge. No thank 'ee, lad, no need of thy light. Know the wai
to my own door, at laste; and have a raight to goo there." And he shut
me out without so much as offering me a drink of cider.

The next afternoon, when work was over, I had seen to the horses, for
now it was foolish to trust John Fry, because he had so many children,
and his wife had taken to scolding; and just as I was saying to myself
that in five days more my month