"Who is there?" asked the wife.

"Jack Hannaford."

"Where do you come from?"

"Paradise."

"Lord a' mercy! and maybe you've seen my old man there," alluding to
her former husband.

"Yes, I have."

"And how was he a-doing?" asked the goody.

"But middling; he cobbles old shoes, and he has nothing but cabbage
for victuals."

"Deary me!" exclaimed the woman. "Didn't he send a message to me?"

"Yes, he did," replied Jack Hannaford. "He said that he was out of
leather, and his pockets were empty, so you were to send him a few
shillings to buy a fresh stock of leather."

"He shall have them, bless his poor soul!" And away went the wife to
the parlour chimney, and she pulled the rag with the ten pounds in it
from the chimney, and she gave the whole sum to the soldier, telling
him that her old man was to use as much as he wanted, and to send back
the rest.