e of Folks should deem they please God by wearing the
dullest of Colours, when He hath arrayed the Flowers of the Field in the
liveliest of Hues. Somehow, I conceited her to be Mistress _Gulielma
Springett_--and so, indeed, she proved; for, on reaching Home after a
lengthened Ramble, I saw the Tiger Lilies lying on the Table, and found
she had spent a full Hour with Father, who much relished her Talk. Sure,
she might have brought a blind Man Flowers that had some Fragrance,
however dull of hue.

To-day, as we were sitting under the Hedge, we heard a rough Voice
shouting, "Hoy! hoy! what are you about there?" To which another Man's
Voice, just over against us, deprecatingly replied, "No Harm, I promise
you, Master. . . . We have clean Bills of Health; and my Wife and I,
Foot-sore and hungry, do but Purpose to set up our little Cabin against
the Bank, till the Sabbath is overpast."

"But you must set it up Somewhere else," cries the other, who was the
_Chalfont_ Constable; "for we _Chalfont_ Folks are very particular, and
can't have Strangers come harbouring here in our Highways and
Hedges,--dying, and making themselves disagreeable."

"But we don't mean to die or be disagreeable," says the other. "We are
on our Way to my Wife's Parish; and, sure, you cannot stop us on the
King's Highway."

"Oh! but we can, though," says the Constable. "And, besides, this is not
the King's Highway, but only a Bye-way, which is next to private
Property; and the Gentleman at present in Occupation of that private
Property will be highly and justly offended if you go to give him the
Plague."

"That's me," says Father. "Do tell him, _Deb_, not to be so hard on the
poor People, but to let them abide where they are till the Sabbath is
over. I dare say they have clean Bills of Health, as they state, and the
Spot is so lonely, they need not be denied Fire and Water, which is next
to Excommunication."

So I parleyed with _John Constable_, and he parleyed with the Travellers,
who really had Passports, and seemed Honest as well as Sound. So they
were permitted, without Let or Hindrance, to erect their little Booth;
and in a little while they had collected Sticks enough to light a Fire,
the Smoke of which annoyed us not, because we were to Windward.

"What have we for Dinner To-day?" says Father.

"A cold Shoulder of Mutton," says Mother, who had thrown 'em a couple of
Cabbages.

"Well," says Father, "'twas to a cold Shoulder of Mu