o' t' raight sort)
helped my wife to set up a bit of a shop, I've nought to complain of. My
family has plenty to eat and plenty to wear. My pride makes me find
means to have an odd pound now and then against rainy days; for I think
I'd die afore I'd come to t' parish; and me and mine is content. But t'
neighbours is poor yet. I see a great deal of distress."

"And, consequently, there is still discontent, I suppose?" inquired Miss
Keeldar.

"_Consequently_--ye say right--_consequently_. In course, starving folk
cannot be satisfied or settled folk. The country's not in a safe
condition--I'll say so mich!"

"But what can be done? What more can I do, for instance?"

"Do? Ye can do not mich, poor young lass! Ye've gi'en your brass; ye've
done well. If ye could transport your tenant, Mr. Moore, to Botany Bay,
ye'd happen do better. Folks hate him."

"William, for shame!" exclaimed Caroline warmly. "If folks _do_ hate
him, it is to their disgrace, not his. Mr. Moore himself hates nobody.
He only wants to do his duty, and maintain his rights. You are wrong to
talk so."

"I talk as I think. He has a cold, unfeeling heart, yond' Moore."

"But," interposed Shirley, "supposing Moore was driven from the country,
and his mill razed to the ground, would people have more work?"

"They'd have less. I know that, and they know that; and there is many an
honest lad driven desperate by the certainty that whichever way he turns
he cannot better himself; and there is dishonest men plenty to guide
them to the devil, scoundrels that reckons to be the 'people's friends,'
and that knows nought about the people, and is as insincere as Lucifer.
I've lived aboon forty year in the world, and I believe that 'the
people' will never have any true friends but theirseln and them two or
three good folk i' different stations that is friends to all the world.
Human natur', taking it i' th' lump, is nought but selfishness. It is
but excessive few, it is but just an exception here and there, now and
then, sich as ye two young uns and me, that, being in a different
sphere, can understand t' one t' other, and be friends wi'out
slavishness o' one hand or pride o' t' other. Them that reckons to be
friends to a lower class than their own fro' political motives is never
to be trusted; they always try to make their inferiors tools. For my own
part, I will neither be patronized nor misled for no man's pleasure.
I've had overtures made to me lately that I sa