called or gone past.  On Christmas Day and Good Friday she drummed from breakfast till church, from church-time till two o’clock—­ unless when the fire wanted stirring, when she invariably knocked down the fire-irons, and scolded Miss Matty for it.  But equally certain was the hearty welcome and the good dinner for Thomas; Miss Jenkyns standing over him like a bold dragoon, questioning him as to his children—­what they were doing—­what school they went to; upbraiding him if another was likely to make its appearance, but sending even the little babies the shilling and the mince-pie which was her gift to all the children, with half-a-crown in addition for both father and mother.  The post was not half of so much consequence to dear Miss Matty; but not for the world would she have diminished Thomas’s welcome and his dole, though I could see that she felt rather shy over the ceremony, which had been regarded by Miss Jenkyns as a glorious opportunity for giving advice and benefiting her fellow-creatures.  Miss Matty would steal the money all in a lump into his hand, as if she were ashamed of herself.  Miss Jenkyns gave him each individual coin separate, with a “There! that’s for yourself; that’s for Jenny,” etc.  Miss Matty would even beckon Martha out of the kitchen while he ate his food:  and once, to my knowledge, winked at its rapid disappearance into a blue cotton pocket-handkerchief.  Miss Jenkyns almost scolded him if he did not leave a clean plate, however heaped it might have been, and gave an injunction with every mouthful.

I have wandered a long way from the two letters that awaited us on the breakfast-table that Tuesday morning.  Mine was from my father.  Miss Matty’s was printed.  My father’s was just a man’s letter; I mean it was very dull, and gave no information beyond that he was well, that they had had a good deal of rain, that trade was very stagnant, and there were many disagreeable rumours afloat.  He then asked me if I knew whether Miss Matty still retained her shares in the Town and County Bank, as there were very unpleasant reports about it; though nothing more than he had always foreseen, and had prophesied to Miss Jenkyns years ago, when she would invest their little property in it—­the only unwise step that clever woman had ever taken, to his knowledge (the only time she ever acted against his advice, I knew).  However, if anything had gone wrong, of course I was not to think of leaving Miss Matty while I could be of any use, etc.

“Who is your letter from, my dear?  Mine is a very civil invitation, signed ‘Edwin Wilson,’ asking me to attend an important meeting of the shareholders of the Town and County Bank, to be held in Drumble, on Thursday the twenty-first.  I am sure, it is very attentive of them to remember me.”

I did not like to hear of this “important meeting,” for, though I did not know much about business, I feared it confirmed what my father said:  however, I thought, ill news always came fast enough, so I resolved to say nothing about my alarm, and merely told her that my father was well, and sent his kind regards to her.  She kept turning over and admiring her letter.  At last she spoke —