And now for the parson and his daughter.  The parson’s name was Woolsworthy—­or Woolathy as it was pronounced by all those who lived around him—­the Rev. Saul Woolsworthy; and his daughter was Patience Woolsworthy, or Miss Patty, as she was known to the Devonshire world of those parts.  That name of Patience had not been well chosen for her for she was a hot-tempered damsel, warm in her convictions, and inclined to express them freely.  She had but two closely intimate friends in the world, and by both of them this freedom of expression had been fully permitted to her since she was a child.  Miss Le Smyrger and her father were well accustomed to her ways, and on the whole well satisfied with them.  The former was equally free and equally warm-tempered as herself, and as Mr. Woolsworthy was allowed by his daughter to be quite paramount on his own subject—­for he had a subject—­he did not object to his daughter being paramount on all others.  A pretty girl was Patience Woolsworthy at the time of which I am writing, and one who possessed much that was worthy of remark and admiration had she lived where beauty meets with admiration, or where force of character is remarked.  But at Oxney Colne, on the borders of Dartmoor, there were few to appreciate her, and it seemed as though she herself had but little idea of carrying her talent further afield, so that it might not remain for ever wrapped in a blanket.

She was a pretty girl, tall and slender, with dark eyes and black hair.  Her eyes were perhaps too round for regular beauty, and her hair was perhaps too crisp; her mouth was large and expressive; her nose was finely formed, though a critic in female form might have declared it to be somewhat broad.  But her countenance altogether was very attractive—­if only it might be seen without that resolution for dominion which occasionally marred it, though sometimes it even added to her attractions.

It must be confessed on behalf of Patience Woolsworthy that the circumstances of her life had peremptorily called upon her to exercise dominion.  She had lost her mother when she was sixteen, and had had neither brother nor sister.  She had no neighbours near her fit either from education or rank to interfere in the conduct of her life, excepting always Miss Le Smyrger.  Miss Le Smyrger would have done anything for her, including the whole management of her morals and of the parsonage household, had Patience been content with such an arrangement.  But much as Patience had ever loved Miss Le Smyrger, she was not content with this, and therefore she had been called on to put forth a strong hand of her own.  She had put forth this strong hand early, and hence had come the character which I am attempting to describe.  But I must say on behalf of this girl that it was not only over others that she thus exercised dominion.  In acquiring that power she had also acquired the much greater power of exercising rule over herself.