"I should a asked him in," said Mrs. Symes, "if it had been a gell of
mine, and give him a good meal with a glass of ale to it, and a tiddy
drop of something to top up with, and I'd a let him light his nasty
pipe,--and then when he was full and contented I'd a up and said,
'Now my man, you've 'ad time to think it over, and no one can't say as
I've hurried you nor flurried you. But it's time as we began talking.
So just you tell me what you're a-goin to do about it. If you 'ave the
feelings of a man,' I'd a said 'you'll marry the girl.'"

"Yes, indeed," said Mrs. James with emotion.

"Instead of which, bless your 'art, he beats the young man off with a
stick, like as if he was a mad dog; and young Miss is a goin' to be
sent to furrin parts to a strick boardin' school, to learn her not to
have any truck with young chaps."

"'Ard, I call it," said Mrs. James.

"An' well you may--crooil 'ard. How's he expect the girl to get a
husband if he drives the young fellers away with walking-sticks? Pore
gell! I shouldn't wonder but what she lives and dies a maid, after
this set-out."

"We shall miss 'er when she goes," said Mrs. James.

"I don't say we shan't. But there ain't no one as you can't get on
without if you're put to it And whether or not, she's going to far
foreign parts where there ain't no young chaps."