usband
taken away from me in the first year of our marriage. You remember my
grief was so excessive that I could not nourish my poor child; and by
the advice and entreaties of my relatives and physician, I consented
that he should be taken into the country by my humble, faithful friend,
Mary Brown, who nursed him for eighteen months with her own child, while
I was sent to the West Indies, and afterward to Europe, to recover my
health. Edward is all I have.

MR. S. If you love him so much, send him to boarding school.

MRS. L. Impossible! I cannot part with him. But I will put him entirely
under your control. Only stay, and you shall govern him just as you
like.

SCENE II.--_Enter_ PATRICK.

MRS. L. Patrick, where is my son?

PATRICK. I don't know, ma'am.

MRS. L. What? You don't know?

PATRICK. No, ma'am. After taking his lessons this morning, he made me
dress him three times. Yes, ma'am, three times! and by way of paying me
for my trouble, he hit me a blow on the side of my head, and crying,
"Take that, old bog-trotter"--he ran off laughing; and five minutes
after that, when I was talking with Andrew on the edge of the hill at
the back of the house, he came suddenly up behind and upset us both. My
back is all but cracked.

[_Rubs his back._

MR. S. You see how he treats your servants!

MRS. L. Well! but he did it laughing. It was only his fun, dear little
fellow! Patrick, go find him, and bring him here.

PATRICK. And suppose, ma'am, he won't come?

MRS. L. Tell him his _mother_ wants him.

SCENE III.--_Enter_ ANDREW.

PATRICK (_going out, to Andrew_). Where am I to find him? Have you seen
him?

ANDREW. Seen who?

PATRICK. Master Ned.

ANDREW. Yes, I have seen him; I see a great deal too much of him; he has
just chased me out of the garden with a hay fork.

PATRICK. Is he there now?

ANDREW. Oh yes; he tied an old hen fast by the leg to the fence, and is
shooting at her with his bow and arrows.

MRS. L. What a boy! how thoughtless! Patrick, go and get him.

[_He goes out._

SCENE IV.--_Enter_ JANE.

ANDREW (_twisting his hat about, and standing first on one leg, then on
the other_). Mrs. Langdon--

MRS. L. Well, Andrew, what is it?

ANDREW. I am your gardener, ma'am; am I not?

MRS. L. Yes, Andrew.

ANDREW. I have always tried to give you satisfaction?

MRS. L. Certainly. Yo