a tone of interest that he was likely to come into a deal of money
at his uncle's death. The person who did not praise was the one who
knew him best, who had known him as a boy years ago, when he had
lived nearer to Overcombe than he did at present. This
unappreciative person was the trumpet-major.



VI. OLD MR. DERRIMAN OF OXWELL HALL

At this time in the history of Overcombe one solitary newspaper
occasionally found its way into the village. It was lent by the
postmaster at Budmouth (who, in some mysterious way, got it for
nothing through his connexion with the mail) to Mr. Derriman at the
Hall, by whom it was handed on to Mrs. Garland when it was not more
than a fortnight old. Whoever remembers anything about the old
farmer-squire will, of course, know well enough that this delightful
privilege of reading history in long columns was not accorded to the
Widow Garland for nothing. It was by such ingenuous means that he
paid her for her daughter's occasional services in reading aloud to
him and making out his accounts, in which matters the farmer, whose
guineas were reported to touch five figures--some said more--was not
expert.

Mrs. Martha Garland, as a respectable widow, occupied a twilight
rank between the benighted villagers and the well-informed gentry,
and kindly made herself useful to the former as letter-writer and
reader, and general translator from the printing tongue. It was not
without satisfaction that she stood at her door of an evening,
newspaper in hand, with three or four cottagers standing round, and