ns nor friends in England, and having taken a fancy to
her, adopted her as a daughter. Thus did she come to call Mrs Foster
"mamma," and to preside at the tea-table in Sandhill Cottage.

But, to return from this digression:--Mrs Foster was congratulating
herself on having discovered the error in her accounts, when the door
opened and a stout florid woman, of fifty or thereabouts, with a shiny
red skin, presented herself and said:

"Please, ma'am, here's a gentleman as wants to see you, and won't go
away, though I told him you was at tea, w'ich is a fact, though it had
no impression whatever on him, such is his imprence, goin' for to
reflect on my character for truth, as never told a lie since I was a
baby in long frocks, so I didn't; but it's always the way with these men
that go tax-gatherin', though I don't know that he's that neether, so I
don't; what shall I say, ma'am?"

Mrs Laker, having uttered the foregoing without pause or inflection of
voice from beginning to end, came to an abrupt stop. Whether from want
of breath or ideas it is difficult to say; perhaps from both.

"Show the gentleman in, Laker," said Mrs Foster; "no doubt he has good
reason for wishing to see me."

Laker vanished. She was impulsive in her actions as well as in her
words. She was her mistress's factotum--her cook, housemaid,
sempstress, and confidential adviser; in addition to which she was
somewhat of a bore, being stubborn and opinionated, but a good and
faithful servant on the whole.

The individual who was presently introduced was a bustling little old
gentleman with a shining bald head and a cheerful countenance.

"Excuse my rudeness--madam--" he began, bowing low, as he advanced with
a hesitating step--"this intrusion, really--"

"Do not mention it, sir, pray be seated," said Mrs Foster; "you are
welcome--surely I have met with you before?"

She put on a pair of gold spectacles as she said this, and looked
earnestly at her visitor, who, having placed his hat on the floor and
bowed to Amy, sat down and pulled out a bundle of papers.

"You have, madam," replied the visitor. "My name is Summers--David
Summers, ma'am, at your service. I had the pleasure of being introduced
to you at a meeting in a town not far distant, where an effort was being
made to raise contributions towards the establishment of a lifeboat--"

"Oh! I recollect," cried Mrs Foster, whose sympathetic heart at once
opened to the man who had made (as she