blown his breath, for it was blind as the stone wall back of the mill,
where Tom the tinker kissed the miller's daughter.

Dame Margery Twist never greatly missed the sight of that eye; but all
the same, I would give both of mine for it.

All of these things are told at Tavistock town even to this day; and if
you go thither, you may hear them for yourself.

But I say again, as I said at first: if one could
only hold one's tongue as to what one sees,
one would be the better for it.




[Illustration: YE SONG OF YE GOSSIPS. This is a full page illustrated
poem depicting: the three old maids gossiping at a table, the two old
maids gossiping as the other leaves, and the last old maid sitting
alone.]

YE SONG OF YE GOSSIPS

1

One old maid,
And another old maid,
And another old maid--that's three--
And they were agossiping, I am afraid,
As they sat sipping their tea.