stening to these people till evening was at hand. I then left
them, and without returning to the inn strolled over the bridge to the
green, where the tents stood. I went up to them: two women sat at the
entrance of one; a man stood by them, and the children, whom I had before
seen, were gambolling near at hand. One of the women was about forty,
the other some twenty years younger; both were ugly. The younger was a
rude, stupid-looking creature, with red cheeks and redder hair, but there
was a dash of intelligence and likewise of wildness in the countenance of
the elder female, whose complexion and hair were rather dark. The man
was about the same age as the elder woman; he had rather a sharp look,
and was dressed in hat, white frock-coat, corduroy breeches, long
stockings and shoes. I gave them the seal of the evening.

"Good evening to your haner," said the man--"Good evening to you, sir,"
said the woman; whilst the younger mumbled something, probably to the
same effect, but which I did not catch.

"Fine weather," said I.

"Very, sir," said the elder female. "Won't you please to sit down?" and
reaching back into the tent, she pulled out a stool which she placed near
me.

I sat down on the stool. "You are not from these parts?" said I,
addressing myself to the man.

"We are not, your haner," said the man; "we are from Ireland."

"And this lady," said I, motioning with my head to the elder female, "is,
I suppose, your wife."

"She is, your haner, and the children which your haner sees are my
children."

"And who is this young lady?" said I, motioning to the uncouth-looking
girl.

"The young lady, as your haner is pleased to call her, is a daughter of a
sister of mine who is now dead, along with her husband. We have her with
us, your haner, because if we did not she would be alone in the world."

"And what trade or profession do you follow?" said I.

"We do a bit in the tinkering line, your haner."

"Do you find tinkering a very profitable profession?" said I.

"Not very, your haner; but we contrive to get a crust and a drink by it."

"That's more than I ever could," said I.

"Has your haner then ever followed tinkering?" said the man.

"Yes," said I, "but I soon left off."

"And became a minister," said the elder female, "Well, your honour is not
the first indifferent tinker that's turned out a shining minister."

"Why do you think me a minister?"

"Because your honour has the very look an