was ascertained that
Simon was certainly not dead, but all else was still nothing more
than rumor. Public opinion was much divided, some holding that it
would go hard with a man of his age and heft; but the common
belief seemed to be that he was of that sort "as'd take a deal o'
killin'," and that he would be none the worse for such a fall as
that.

The two young ladies had been much shocked at the accident, and
had accompanied the hurdle on which old Simon was carried to his
cottage door; after afternoon service they went round by the
cottage to inquire. The two girls knocked at the door, which was
opened by his wife, who dropped a curtsey and smoothed down her
Sunday apron when she found who were her visitors.

She seemed at first a little unwilling to let them in; but Miss
Winter pressed so kindly to see her husband, and Mary made such
sympathizing eyes at her, that the old woman gave in, and
conducted them through the front room into that beyond, where the
patient lay.

"I hope as you'll excuse it, miss, for I knows the place do smell
terrible bad of baccer; only my old man he said as how-"

"Oh, never mind, we don't care at all about the smell. Poor
Simon! I'm sure if it does him any good, or soothes the pain, I
shall be glad to buy him some tobacco myself."

The old man was lying on the bed, with his coat and boots off,
and a worsted nightcap of his wife's knitting pulled on to his
head. She had tried hard to get him to go to bed at once, and
take some physic, and his present costume and position was the
compromise. His back was turned to them as they entered, and he
was evidently in pain, for he drew his breath heavily and with
difficulty, and gave a sort of groan at every respiration. He did
not seem to notice their entrance; so his wife touched him on the
shoulder, and said, "Simon, here's the young ladies come to see
how you be."

Simon turned himself round, and winced and groaned as he pulled
off his nightcap in token of respect.

"We didn't like to go home without coming to see how you were,
Simon. Has the doctor been?"

"Oh, yes, thank'ee, miss. He've a been and feel'd un all over,
and listened at the chest on un," said his wife.

"And what did he say?"

"He zem'd to zay as there wur no bwones bruk--ugh, ugh," put in
Simon, who spoke his native tongue with a buzz, imported from
farther west, "but a couldn't zay wether or no there warn't som
infarnal injury-"

"Etarnal, Simon, etarnal!" in