, an' set th' owd lass on 'era an' tak' th' nighest road
to th' Union. I mun do summat fur a bein'."

"That's true enow. We're main sorry fur thee, Sammy. Tak' another mug o'
sixpenny to keep up thy sperrets. Theer's nowt as cheers a mon loike a
sup o' th' reet soart."

"I shanna get much on it if I go to th' poor-house," remarked Sammy,
filling his beer mug. "Skilly an' water-gruel dunnot fly to a raon's
head, I'll warrant Aye! I wonder how th' owd lass'll do wi'out her drop
o' tea, an' how she'll stand bein' buried by th' parish? That'll be
worse than owt else. She'd set her moind on ridin' to th' grave-yard i'
th' shiniest hearse as could be getten, an' wi' aw th' black feathers i'
th' undertaker's shop wavin' on th' roof. Th' owd wench wur quoite set
i' her notion o' bein' a bit fashynable at th' last. I believe hoo'd ha'
enjoyed th' ride in a quiet way. Eh, dear! I'm feart she'll nivver be
able to stand th' thowt o' bein' put under i' a common style. I wish
we'd kept a bit o' brass i' th' owd stockin'."

"It's a bad enow lookout," granted another, "but I would na gi' up aw at
onct, Sammy. Happen tha could find a bit o' leet work, as ud keep
thee owt o' th' Union. If tha could get a word or two spoke to Mester
Hoviland, now. He's jest lost his lodge-keeper an' he is na close about
payin' a mon fur what he does. How would tha loike to keep the lodge?"

"It ud be aw I'd ax," said Sammy. "I'd be main well satisfied, yo' mebbe
sure; but yo' know theer's so mony lookin' out for a job o' that koind,
an' I ha' na mony friends among th' quality. I nivver wur smooth-tongued
enow."

True enough that. Among the country gentry, Sammy Craddock was regarded
as a disrespectful, if not a dangerous, old fellow. A man who made
satirical observations upon the ways and manners of his social
superiors, could not be much better than a heretic. And since his
associates made an oracle of him, he was all the more dangerous. He
revered neither Lords nor Commons, and was not to be awed by the most
imposing institutions. He did not take his hat off when the gentry rode
by, and it was well known that he had jeered at several of the most
important individuals in county office. Consequently, discreet persons
who did not believe in the morals of "the masses" shook their heads at
him, figuratively speaking, and predicted that the end of his career
would be unfortunate. So it was not very likely that he would receive
much patronage in the hour