Year: 1865

fve-and-twenty years have lived iutiful wifi and thrifty mistress at Slowmansleigh, like an snail in it's shell-five-a and. twenty years com blackberying-1 have never had day out wit my h sband but once :. year or so, at most and then never till the lambing is over, and tn hay saved. and the shearing done and the cor carried. and one is worn cut with work and al the fine weather gone by. So that when W make up our minds for a days enjoyment, think have as much reason to respect it as l had bought and paid for it in lawful none down and l ask any sensible human bein whether am not right?

 Now to reflect upon all went through las Thursday. the very recollection makes my bloc, boil /; as we'll it may when think of the infa nous -. But will proceed as calmly as m sting!ng nerves will let me. and will show som people that mothers temper. when she is up IS no worse than the lions roaring in the pla we went to see last winter at Arrowbrdo theatre, when the actor declared he would az gravate his voice to roar as sweet as any suck ing pig. My goodness Didn't We laugh l never shall forget in all my born days whel the man came in again with real donkey head on his shoulders -(what was his name it had something to do with it)--and that bolt young woman with nothing but fri.l of gauz, round her waist! Oh, it was shameful wonder the police don't put down those Shakes peares plays but they never do what the, ought When there is a row they merely raI the heads of the little boys outside the crowd and encourage the fighting.

 | Well and my husband, Anthony Slowman Ia better fellow never breathed the air of heav en before marriage and the Oddfellows). with our daughter keziah, fixed on going to the l md nf Aur e which took place, as everybody knows, at Xe- ] ter, on Thursday last. Not that I cared a bl, about it; I never did. Whats the use,' as remarked to Squire Jily, of Brimblebog, but the other day what on earth is the use of fattening pig till it cannot see out of .he eyes which were given it by good Providence to see with? No, mark my words, there is sin and wickedness enough in the world without that. Give me one of your home bred porkers with legs that it can stand upon, and streaks of lean in the fat. and not go flying in the face of Nature with Thorley's food to produce au aui nal as full of oil as an olive.

 They told us the train would leave Arrow bridge station at eight o'clock and as those impudent young railway clerks always try to annoy people by putting their clocks ever so much before the proper time, I insisted on breakfast at five, and the trap ready to drive in at six to the minute though we need not have done so as it happened, for Keziah and myself had to sit like monuments in a cathedral for three quarters of an hour outside the station, before they came to open the doors, while Slow man kept kicking his heels and whistlng, till he worked me into fever with his fidgets Some folks are always SO ready with their Didn't say so ? and I knew how it would be- as though they were wiser than King Sol omon. But men are so provoking

 At length there was quite a crowd assembled and others coming in parties every minute, so suppose they thought it was time for the play to begin, for they rang the telegraph bell and up went the little door where they give out the tickets.

 Now then. Mrs. Slowman,' says Slowman ions. or shall we run behind ?

 MT. Slowman, am ashamed of you,' I re piled you will be joking in church next

 So walked straight up to the counter, ani spoke as loud as l could, for there were plenty to hear me: Three frst-class carriage ticket! and no bad half crowns in the change, please, and then went on and left Slowman to pay tho damage. As if We were going in common sec ond-class with all the tradespeople and scruf of the town Keziah and myself were no dressed for nothing, can assure you.

 Oat upon the platform it was worse than Ma, fair Hundreds upon hundreds should say 1 thought we should never get to the waiting room. French pianos going, and men sellin. ginger beer and cherries, which reminded me o my little basket and shawl that had put dowl by the door outside, and which 1 need not ado l never set eyes upon since.

 For more than two hours 1 remained fannin! myself with my handkerchief. was ready t, faint with heat and vexation, for my best glove were lost in the basket, and SlOwman had lief me, as he said, to see about when the trains re turned in the evening (such mockery, wheI there was not even sign of one starting J an, Keziah kept whispering with some one at th half-opened door; till at last, lost all patienc and burst wildly out on the platform. resolved to find what Sowman was up to, or to perisl in the attempt

 Kezah,' l cried hystericalIy as passed tn bold girl, who pretended afterwards that sh, had not been talking to young Bullock wh farmed the next estate to ours as if had n eyes and did not see him turning away frou the door as 1 came out. 'keziah ! said, an, seizing her by the arm dragged her forwar, like Samson to the edge of the platform when, whirr! went by steam-engine with car riage after carriage. I screamed out with al my might, for it was mercy and miracle w escaped destruction; and as it was, a rougI fellow, seized me by the gown, tore my aounce to rag in his endeavors to save me.

 Whilst was putting myself straight, an, scolding Kezah right and left for what ha, happened. up came Slowman with his moutl so iall ne could scarcely speak, though he wa trying to hide it by wiping the froth of Guin ness's porter from his lips witha nev silk hand kerchief, copt seven shillings last Whitsuntide

 Here's pretty go r he said do you knoy my dear Ghe hypocrite merely to cover tn, refreshments } we shall have to wait here m. other hour at least, as this train will not ston3

 could have slapped any one in the face.

 Not stop ? said l.

 But at that moment some one close by al firmed that the train was returning to take u few; and sure enough it came backwards ir to the station some minutes afterwards, wit the passengers glaring out of the carriage wir dows at us like red-hot wild beasts.

 The hollooing and shouting that ensued Wa fearful. Talk of electioneering, it is nothin to an excursion train! You only wanted tn candidate to Hiug dead rats and garbage at, an you would have believed yourself back, at tn . time of the Reform Bill, when Uncle True blues windows were broken, and poor Aulf Plumper miscarried with twins.

 l will never go by this horrid train,' l cried us Slowman, all excitement, was tugging like nm l., b, la If ,1 al !