e parish," said
Miss Winter; "and I must say I don't think you could find a
better-looking one anywhere."

"Then I can't have seen him."

"Indeed you have; I pointed him out to you at the post office
yesterday. Don't you remember? He was waiting for a letter."

"Oh, yes! now I remember. Well, he was better than most. But the
faces of your young people in general are not interesting--I
don't mean the children, but the young men and women--and they
are awkward and clownish in their manners, without the quaintness
of the elder generation, who are the funniest old dears in the
world."

"They will all be quaint enough as they get older. You must
remember the sort of life they lead. They get their notions very
slowly, and they must have notions in their heads before they can
show them on their faces."

"Well, your Betty's son looked as if he had a notion of hanging
himself yesterday."

"It's no laughing matter, Mary. I hear that he is desperately in
love."

"Poor fellow! that makes a difference, of course. I hope he won't
carry out his notion. Who is it, do you know? Do tell me all
about it."

"Our gardener's daughter, I believe. Of course, I never meddle
with these matters; but one can't help hearing the servant's
gossip. I think it likely to be true, for he was about our
premises at all sorts of times until lately, and I never see him
now that she is away."

"Is she pretty?" said Mary, who was getting interested.

"Yes, she is our belle. In fact, they are the two beauties of the
parish."

"Fancy that cross-grained old Simon having a pretty daughter. Oh,
Katie, look here! who is this figure of fun?"

The figure of fun was a middle-aged man of small stature, and
very bandy-legged, dressed in a blue coat and brass buttons, and
carrying a great bass-viol bigger than himself, in a rough baize
cover. He came out of a footpath into the road just before them,
and, on seeing them, touched his hat to Miss Winter, and then
fidgeted along with his load, and jerked his head in a
deprecatory manner away from them as he walked on, with the sort
of look and action which a favorite terrier uses when his master
holds out a lighted cigar to his nose. He was the village tailor
and constable, also the principal performer in the church-music
which obtained in Englebourn. In the latter capacity he had of
late come into collision with Miss Winter.

For this was another of the questions which divided the
parish--The great chur