th' brass. And Ellison has no lads; and by nature the business
would come to thee in course o' time. Ellison's lasses are but
bits o' things, and are not like to come by husbands just yet;
and when they do, maybe they'll not be in the mechanical line. It
will be an opening for thee, lad, if thou art steady. Thou'rt not
great shakes, I know, in th' inventing line; but many a one gets
on better without having fancies for something he does not see
and never has seen. I'm right down glad to see that mother's
cousins are such uncommon folk for sense and goodness. I have
taken the minister to my heart like a brother; and she is a
womanly quiet sort of a body. And I'll tell you frank, Paul, it
will be a happy day for me if ever you can come and tell me that
Phillis Holman is like to be my daughter. I think if that lass
had not a penny, she would be the making of a man; and she'll
have yon house and lands, and you may be her match yet in fortune
if all goes well.'

I was growing as red as fire; I did not know what to say, and yet
I wanted to say something; but the idea of having a wife of my
own at some future day, though it had often floated about in my
own head, sounded so strange when it was thus first spoken about
by my father. He saw my confusion, and half smiling said,--

'Well, lad, what dost say to the old father's plans? Thou art but
young, to be sure; but when I was thy age, I would ha' given my
right hand if I might ha' thought of the chance of wedding the
lass I cared for--'

'My mother?' asked I, a little struck by the change of his tone
of voice.