laughed. "You're always welcome, Uncle Dan, and I hope you know
it," said she. "Bertha, my maid, bake a short-cake for thy father.
There's enough warmth in the bake-stone."

"Short-cake's good," said Dan, "and I'll not go to deny it; but love and
peace are better. _She_ can make short-cake wi' anybody. It's th' jam
as goes wi' 't I don't like. She makes it so tart, and puts so much on.
Sure, if th' fire had went out, she'd easy bake a cake a-top of her
temper, and so could Ankaret. Eh, it do take a whole hive of honey to
sweeten some folks. There's bees in this world, for sure; but there's
many a waps to every bee."

In the present day, "waps" is considered a vulgar way of pronouncing the
word; but it was correct English at the time of which I am writing.
"Wasp" is really the corrupt pronunciation. In the same way, they said
"claps" where we say "clasp."

"Uncle Dan, I sometimes wonder you do not come and live in Lincoln
town."

"Dost thee? Think I haven't noise enough at smithy?"

"But I think you would make friends here, and find things pleasanter."

"Humph!" said Dan, laying a big, hardened brown hand upon each knee.
"It's very plain to me, Avice, as thou doesn't live in a house where
everything thou does turns to hot water. Me make friends! She'd have
'em out o' th' door afore they'd a-comed in. They wouldn't come twice,
I reckon--nay, they wouldn't. That'd be end o' my friend-making,
Avice."

"Uncle Dan, did you never try standing up to Aunt Filomena?"

"Did I never try _what_? Ay did I, once--and got knocked down as sharp
as ninepins. Standing up! I'd love to see thee try it. Thou'd not be
right end up long."

Bertha had gone upstairs, or Avice perhaps would not have spoken so
plainly, though the smith himself had long passed the stage of ignoring
his wife's failings in the presence of her children.

"But you are her husband, Uncle Dan."

"I reckon I know that Thou would, if she'd plucked as much of thy
whiskers out as she has o' mine."

"And wives ought to obey their husbands."

"Thou'll oblige me by saying so to her, and I'll be glad to know if thou
likes what thou'll get."

"You think she cannot be managed?"

"Not without one o' th' archangels likes to try. I'll not say he
wouldn't be sorry at after."

"It does seem such a sad way for you to live," said Avice pityingly.

"Grin and bide," said Dan philosophically. "Grin while I can, and bide
when I can't. But I'll tell