young man in Mumper's Dingle." "Then it is for me, I make no
doubt," said I, stretching out my hand to take it. "Please to pay
me ninepence first," said the old woman. "However," said she,
after a moment's thought, "civility is civility, and, being rather
a scarce article, should meet with some return. Here's the letter,
young man, and I hope you will pay for it; for if you do not I must
pay the postage myself." "You are the postwoman, I suppose," said
I, as I took the letter. "I am the postman's mother," said the old
woman; "but as he has a wide beat, I help him as much as I can, and
I generally carry letters to places like this, to which he is
afraid to come himself." "You say the postage is ninepence," said
I, "here's a shilling." "Well, I call that honourable," said the
old woman, taking the shilling, and putting it into her pocket--
"here's your change, young man," said she, offering me threepence.
"Pray keep that for yourself," said I; "you deserve it for your
trouble." "Well, I call that genteel," said the old woman; "and as
one good turn deserves another, since you look as if you couldn't
read, I will read your letter for you. Let's see it; it's from
some young woman or other, I dare say." "Thank you," said I, "but
I can read." "All the better for you," said the old woman; "your
being able to read will frequently save you a penny, for that's the
charge I generally make for reading letters; though, as you behaved
so genteelly to me, I should have charged you nothing. Well, if
you can read, why don't you open the letter, instead of keeping it
hanging between your finger and thumb?" "I am in no hurry to open
it," said I, with a sigh. The old woman looked at me for a moment-
-"Well, young man," said she, "there are some--especially those who
can read--who don't like to open their letters when anybody is by,
more especially when they come from young women. Well, I won't
intrude upon you, but leave you alone with your letter. I wish it