ngs to Sir Lionel; and he's lord of the
manor. Well, I were born, and my father and grandfather before me, in
Monksworthy, and so were Jane; and all things went on pretty smooth with
us till a few years back. We'd our troubles, of course; but then _we_
didn't expect to be without 'em--Wasn't to be looked for that our road
through life should be as level all the way as a bowling-green. Sir
Lionel were very good to his tenants; but he were rather too fond of
having lots of company at the Hall--more, I'm sure, than his lady liked;
for she was a truly godly woman, and I don't doubt is so to this day.

"My father and mother had a very large family, so that there wasn't full
work for us all as we growed up; and, as I was one of the younger ones,
they was glad to get me bound apprentice, through the squire's help, to
my present trade in the north. But I liked my own native village better
than any other spot as I'd ever seen, so I came back after I'd served my
time, and picked up work and a wife, as a good many of the young people
had been emigrating to Canada and Australia, and Sir Lionel wanted hands
just then. Well, then, God sent us our children, and they soon grew up,
and it weren't such easy work to feed them and clothe them as it is in a
place like this. However, the Lord took care of us, and we always had
enough.

"Jane went to the Hall to be housemaid soon after I married; and Lady
Morville were so fond of her that, she would never hear of her leaving
for any other place.--Nay, Jane dear, you mustn't fret; it'll all turn
out well in the end. There's One as loves us both, better than Sir
Lionel and his lady, and he'll make all straight sooner or later.

"Now, you must know, sir, as I'd come back from the north a teetotaler.
I'd seen so much of the drunkenness and the drink-traps there that I'd
made up my mind as total abstinence were the wisest, safest, and best
course for both worlds; and Jane, who had never cared for either beer or
wine, took the pledge with me when I came home, for the sake of doing
good to others.

"Lady Morville didn't concern herself about this; but there was one at
the Hall who did, and that one were John Hollands, the butler. It was
more nor he could put up with, that any one of the servants should
presume to go a different road from him, and refuse the ale when it went
round at meals in the kitchen. So, as all his chaffing, and the
chaffing of the other servants, couldn't shake Jane