y walk."
It was thus that this good man, while honouring this poor woman, avoided
the appearance of condescension, and received her arm as a favour to
himself.
She commenced thanking him for his sermon in the morning. She said it
had convinced her William of the sin of the Chartist agitation, and that
he had firmly resolved never to meet them again. It had saved him from
ruin, and made her a happy woman.
"Glad to hear it has done him good, my dear," said he; "it does me good,
too, to hear its effect. Now, never remind him of past errors, never
allude to them: make his home cheerful, make it the pleasantest place
he can find any where, and he won't want to seek amusement elsewhere,
or excitement either; for these seditious meetings intoxicate by their
excitement. Oh! I am very glad I have touched him; that I have prevented
these seditious men from 'stealing his heart.'"
In this way they chatted, until they arrived at the cottage, which
Hodgins had just reached by a shorter, but more rugged path.
"It is such a lovely afternoon," said Mr. Hopewell, "I believe I will
rest in this arbour here awhile, and enjoy the fresh breeze, and the
perfume of your honeysuckles and flowers."
"Wouldn't a pipe be better, Minister?" said Mr. Slick. "For my part, I
don't think any thing equal to the flavour of rael good gene_wine_ first
chop tobacco."
"Well, it is a great refreshment, is tobacco," said Mr. Hopewell. "I
don't care if I do take a pipe. Bring me one, Mr. Hodgins, and one for
yourself also, and I will smoke and talk with you awhile, for they seem
as natural to each other, as eating and drinking do."
As soon as these were produced, Mr. Slick and I retired, and requested
Mrs. Hodgins to leave the Minister and her husband together for a while,
for as Mr. Slick observed, "The old man will talk it into him like a
book; for if he was possessed of the spirit of a devil, instead of a
Chartist, he is jist the boy to drive it out of him. Let him be awhile,
and he'll tame old uncle there, like a cossit sheep; jist see if he
don't, that's all."
We then walked up and down the shady lane, smoking our cigars, and Mr.
Slick observed, "Well, there is a nation sight of difference, too, ain't
there, atween this country church, and a country meetin' house our side
of the water; I won't say in your country or my country; but I say _our_
side of the water--and then it won't rile nobody; for your folks will
say I mean the States, an
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