people
of our day, and their self-indulgent habits."

"Ah! Mayster! You're got upon a sore subject; it is time summut was
done, we're losing all the girls and boys, there'll be none at all
thirty years hence."

"Surely you don't mean," said Mrs Franklin anxiously, "that there is
any unusual mortality just now among children."

"No, no, ma'am, that's not it," cried the farmer, laughing: "no, I mean
that we shall have nothing but babies and men and women; we shall skip
the boys and girls altogether."

"How do you mean?"

"Why, just this way, ma'am: as soon as young mayster and miss gets old
enough to know how things is, they're too old for the nursery; they
won't go in leading strings; they must be little men and women. Plain
food won't do for 'em; they must have just what their pas and mas has.
They've no notion of holding their tongues--not they; they must talk
with the biggest; and I blames their parents for it, I do. They never
think of checking them; they're too much like old Eli. The good old-
fashioned rod's gone to light the fire with."

"Ay, and Sam," broke in his wife, "what's almost worst of all--and oh!
It is a sin and a shame--they let 'em get to the beer and the wine and
the spirits: you mustn't say them nay. Ay, it is sad, it is for sure,
to see how these little ones is brought up to think of nothing but
themselves; and then, when they goes wrong, their fathers and mothers
can't think how it is."

"You're right, wife; they dress their bodies as they like, and eat and
drink what they like, and don't see how Christ bought their bodies for
Himself, and they are not their own. Ah! There'll be an awful
reckoning one day. Young people can't grow up as they're doing and not
leave a mark on our country as it'll take a big fire of the Almighty's
chastisements to burn it out."

Mrs Franklin sighed, and Mary looked very thoughtful.

Mr Tankardew was about to speak when a faint halloo was heard above the
noise of the storm, which was now again raging without. All paused to
listen. It was repeated again, and this time nearer.

"Somebody missed his road, I should think," said Mr Tankardew.

"Maybe, sir; I'll go out and see."

So saying, Sam Hodges left the kitchen, and calling to quiet his dog who
was barking furiously, soon returned with a stranger who was dressed in
a long waterproof and felt hat, which he doffed on seeing the ladies,
disclosing a head of curling black hair. He was rather tal