rosy, burly Bill! better had he still been ingloriously driving our
cart of skins.

"Have you been to see Sally lately?" said I, to Jael, who was cutting
winter cabbages hard by; "is she getting over her trouble?"

"She bean't rich, to afford fretting. There's Jem and three little
'uns yet to feed, to say nought of another big lad as lives there,
and eats a deal more than he pays, I'm sure."

I took the insinuation quietly, for I knew that my father had lately
raised John's wages, and he his rent to Sally. This, together with a
few other facts which lay between Sally and me, made me quite easy in
the mind as to his being no burthen, but rather a help to the widow--
so I let Jael have her say; it did no harm to me nor anybody.

"What bold little things snowdrops are--stop, Jael, you are setting
your foot on them."

But I was too late; she had crushed them under the high-heeled shoe.
She was even near pulling me down, as she stepped back in great hurry
and consternation.

"Look at that young gentleman coming down the garden; and here I be
in my dirty gown, and my apron full o' cabbages."

And she dropped the vegetables all over the path as the "gentleman"
came towards us.

I smiled--for, in spite of his transformation, I, at least, had no