a while before my Father's Marriage was as great
a Favourite with _Mary_ as now with my Mother; flattered her the same,
and tempted her to idle gossiping Confidences. She was slow to believe
herself cheated; and when 'twas as cleare as Day, could not convince
Father of it.

On _Mary's_ mentioning this Morning (unadvisedlie, I think,) the Kitchen
Visitor, Mother made short Answer--

"Tilly-vally! bad Mistresses make bad Maids; there will be noe such
Doings now, I warrant. . . . I am sure, my Dear," appealing to Father,
"you think well in the main of _Betty_?"

"Yes," says he, smiling, "I think well of both my _Betties_."

"At any rate," persists _Mary_, "the Man coulde not be at once her Cousin
and her Brother."

"Why no," replies Father, "therein she worsened her Story, by saying too
much, as _Dorothea_ did, when she pretended to have heard of the Knight
of _La Mancha's_ Fame, when she landed at _Ossuna_; which even a Madman
as he was, knew to be noe Sea-port. It requires more Skill than the
General possess, to lie with a Circumstance."

Had a Valentine this Morning, though onlie from_ Ned Phillips_, whom
Mother is angry with, for filling my Head betimes with such Nonsense.
Howbeit, I am close on sixteen.

_Mary_ was out of Patience with Father yesterday, who, after keeping her
a full Hour at _Thucydides_, sayd,

"Well, now we will refresh ourselves with a Canto of _Ariosto_," which
was as much a sealed Book to her as t'other. Howbeit, this Morning he
sayd,

"Child, I have noted your Wearinesse in reading the dead Languages to me;
would that I needed not to be beholden unto any, whether bound to me by
Blood and Affection or not, for the Food that is as needfulle to me as my
daily Bread. Nevertheless, that I be not further wearisome unto thee, I
have engaged a young Quaker, named _Ellwood_, to relieve thee of this
Portion of thy Task, soe that thou mayst have the more Leisure to enjoy
the glad Sunshine and fair Sights I never more shall see."

_Mary_ turned red, and dropt a quiet Tear; but alas, he knew it not.

"One part of my Children's Burthen, indeed," he continued, "I cannot, for
obvious Reasons, relieve them of--they must still be my Secretaries, for
in them alone can I confide. Soe now to your healthfulle Exercises and
fitting Recreations, dear Maids, and Heaven's Blessing goe with you!"

We kissed his Hand and went, but our Walk was not merry.

_Ellwood_ is a young Man of seven-and-twenty, of