er she should propose, but freely give her my opinion upon
it, she told me, as she could see no other way before us but what tended
to our disgrace and ruin, if I would marry her she would immediately
quit her place and return to her aunt, who had brought her up from a
child, and had enough prettily to live upon, who, she did not doubt,
would entertain her as my wife; but she was assured, upon any other
score, or under any other name, would prove her most inveterate
enemy. When Patty had made an end, I was glad to find it no worse; and
revolving matters a little in my mind, both as to affairs at home and
the requested marriage, I concluded upon this latter, and had a great
inclination to acquaint my mother of it, but was diverted from that, by
suspecting it might prove a good handle for my new father to work with
my mother some mischief against me; so determined to marry forthwith,
send Patty to her aunt's, and remain still at the academy myself till
I should see what turn things would take at home. Accordingly, the next
day good part of Patty's wages went to tie the connubial knot, and to
the honest parson for a bribe to antedate the certificate; and she very
soon after took up the rest to defray her journey to her aunt's.

Though Patty was within two months of her time, she had so managed that
no one perceived it; and getting safe to her aunt's, was delivered of
a daughter, of which she wrote me word, and said she hoped to see me at
the end of her month. How, thought I, can she expect to see me; money I
have none! and then I despaired of leave for a journey if I had it;
and to go without leave would only arm J. G. against me, as I perceived
plainly his interest and mine were very remote things; so I resolved to
quit all thoughts of a journey, and wait till opportunity better served
for seeing my wife and child, and our good aunt to whom we were so
much obliged. While these and such-like cogitations engrossed my whole
attention, I was most pleasingly surprised one day, upon my return-from
a musing walk by the river-side at the end of our garden, where I
frequently got my tasks, to find Patty sitting in the kitchen with my
old mistress, my master's mother, who managed his house, he having been
a widower many years. The sight of her almost overcame me, as I had
bolted into the kitchen, and was seen by my old mistress before I
had seen Patty was with her. The old lady, perceiving me discomposed,
inquired into the cause, wh