unds is very comfortable; and added to what John has will make
things that snug that things never was snugger. But John Crumb isn't
after Miss Ruby along of her fortune.'

'Nohows,' said the lover, shaking his head and still standing upright
with his hands by his side.

'Not he;--it isn't his ways, and them as knows him'll never say it of
him. John has a heart in his buzsom.'

'I has,' said John, raising his hand a little above his stomach.

'And feelings as a man. It's true love as has brought John Crumb to
Sheep's Acre farm this night;--love of that young lady, if she'll let me
make so free. He's a proposed to her, and she's a haccepted him, and
now it's about time as they was married. That's what John Crumb has to
say.'

'That's what I has to say,' repeated John Crumb, 'and I means it.'

'And now, miss,' continued Mixet, addressing himself to Ruby, 'you've
heard what John has to say.'

'I've heard you, Mr Mixet, and I've heard quite enough.'

'You can't have anything to say against it, Miss; can you? There's
your grandfather as is willing, and the-money as one may say counted
out,--and John Crumb is willing, with his house so ready that there
isn't a ha'porth to do. All we want is for you to name the day.'

'Say to-morrow, Ruby, and I'll not be agen it,' said John Crumb,
slapping his thigh.

'I won't say to-morrow, Mr Crumb, nor yet the day after to-morrow, nor
yet no day at all. I'm not going to have you. I've told you as much
before.'

'That was only in fun, loike.'

'Then now I tell you in earnest. There's some folk wants such a deal
of telling.'

'You don't mean,--never?'

'I do mean never, Mr Crumb.'

'Didn't you say as you would, Ruby? Didn't you say so as plain as the
nose on my face?' John as he asked these questions could hardly
refrain from tears.

'Young women is allowed to change their minds,' said Ruby.

'Brute!' exclaimed old Ruggles. 'Pig! Jade! I'll tell you what, John.
She'll go out o' this into the streets;--that's what she wull. I won't
keep her here, no longer;--nasty, ungrateful, lying slut.'

'She ain't that;--she ain't that,' said John. 'She ain't that at all.
She's no slut. I won't hear her called so;--not by her grandfather. But,
oh, she has a mind to put me so abouts, that I'll have to go home and
hang myself'

'Dash it, Miss Ruby, you ain't a going to serve a young man that way,'
said the baker.

'If you'll jist keep yourself to yourself, I'll be obliged to you, M