e a grand lady, grander than Miss Rice or Miss Nugent even. Won't I let
them know I'm somebody, and not to be looked down upon any more, that's
all!'

Hereupon Netta wiped her eyes, and walked up and down the room grandly,
whilst Owen burst out laughing,

'I beg you to go out of, my room, Owen!' said Netta, stamping her foot
and getting into a passion. 'One can't expect manners or sympathy from
seafaring porcupines like you. Go away directly. Why, John James, the
carter, is genteeler than a great coarse sailor such as you. Go you
away, I say.'

'You ought to have said a seafaring dolphin or whale; they don't pay
twopence a week to learn manners, like you land-lubbers. When you want
me you may send for me.'

Owen went off very much offended, leaving Netta to cogitate upon the
cruelty of her relations.

In the course of that afternoon, a very well-dressed woman, in the
deepest of sables, was seen going down the road to the farm. She went
round through the garden to the glass-door, disdaining the yard, knocked
a great many times, to the great astonishment, of Shanno, and was at
last admitted, as Mrs Griffith Jenkins. Shanno, all reverence at sight
of the crape bonnet, crape veil, and widow's cap, ushered her into the
parlour, feeling that a chasm now lay between her and the dame she had
last seen in a high-crowned Welsh hat, striped flannel gown, and checked
apron. Having duly dusted a chair with her skirts, Shanno glanced at Mrs
Jenkins, and was about to leave the room, when Mrs Jenkins said,--

'Tell you your missus that I am coming on particular business and wish
to speak with her in private. Here, stop you, Shanno, where is Miss
Netta? I 'ouldn't mind giving you a shilling to tell her I was wanting
to see her before I am seeing her mother.'

The shilling was offered, and received with much satisfaction and an
intelligent grin, and in less than five minutes Netta was with Mrs
Jenkins.

'Deet to goodness, and you do look very poorly, Netta, fach!' said that
worthy, 'Howel was telling me to see you, and to be giving you this
note. Give you another to Shanno before I will be going away, and I will
give it to my Howel. Annwyl! you shall be seeing my Howel, now; how he
do look a horseback. Beauty seure! he do say you will have a horse, too.
There, go you? tell Shanno to tell your mother that I do be glad to see
her, let her tak' care how she do refuse you again.'

Netta escaped with her note, and was soon succeede