Under the Greenwood Tree

window-shutters were not yet closed, and the fire — and candle-light within radiated forth upon the thick bushes of box and laurestinus growing in clumps outside, and upon the bare

Light streamed through the cracks and joints of outbuildings a little way from the cottage, a sight which nourished a fancy that the purpose of the erection must be rather to veil bright attractions than to shelter unsightly necessaries. The no

y’s father Reuben, by vocation a “tranter,” or irregular carrier. He was a stout florid man about forty years of age, who surveyed people up and down when first making their acquaintance, and generally smiled at the horizon or other distant object during conversations with friends, walking about with a steady sway,

g so low that it became necessary for a full-grown person to walk round it in passing, or run the risk of entangling his hair. This apartment contained Mrs. Dewy the tranter’s wife, and the four remaining children,

for a thorough appreciation of the general effect. Bessy was leaning against a chair, and glancing under the plaits about the waist of the plaid frock she wore, to notice the original unfaded pattern of the material as there preserved, her face bearing an expression of regret that the brightness had passed away from the visible portions. Mrs. Dewy sat in

to wind a strip of brown paper round a brass tap he held in his hand. “This in the cask here is a drop o’ the right sort” (tapping the cask); “’tis a real drop o’ cordial from the best picked apples — Sansoms, Stubbards, Five-corners, and such-like — you d’mind the sort,

we wrung it out, and the water got into it,’ folk will say.

looking at the case in an abstract form rather than at the scene before him. “Such poor liqu

ipe them upon the door-mat. “I am glad that you’ve stepped up-along at last; and, Susan, you run down to Grammer Kaytes’s and s

on and a smock-frock, who was very awkward in his movements, apparently on account of havi

ile for some time after his mind had done smiling, so that his t

wy, “you sit in this chair. And ho

d his spectacles a quarter of an inch to the right.

d how many will that ma

e than a maid yet. She do know the multiplication table onmi

r grandfather James is?” she inquired of one of

with grandfather Wi

y the tranter in a private voice to the barrel, beside which he ha

y cried from the fireplace. “I’d tap a hundred without wasting more than you do in one. Such a sq

heart! — took me in completely upon the feat of buying this cask. ‘Reub,’ says he —‘a always used to call me plain Reub, poor old heart! —‘Reub,’ he said, says he, ‘that there cask, Reub, is as good as new; yes, good as new. ’Tis a wine-hogshead; the best port-wine in the commo

paid any ten shillens for a jimcrack wine-barrel; a saint is sinner enough n

gospel of this me

mmenced smoothing little Bessy’s hair; the tranter having meanwhile suddenly become oblivious to conversation,

el Mail in a carefully-cautious voice, by way

Bowman, in the tone of a man

rms, I passed a’ open winder and see him inside, stuck upon his perch, a-selling off. I jist nodded to en in a friendly way as I passed, and went my way, and thought no more about it. Well, next day, as I was oilen my boots by fuel-house door, if a letter didn’t come wi’ a b

’s no denying,” sai

too! — I’ll warrant, that if so be I’ve spent one hour in making hoops for that barrel, I’ve spent fifty, first and

n,” said Mr. Penn

s!” sai

drap o’ drink,”

ligious-good,” su

and hole quite ready, “Now then, Suze, bring a

knees, and leggings, and into the eyes and neck of Charley, who, having temporarily put off his gr

again!” sa

be wasted like this!” exclaimed the tranter. “Your thumb! Lend me your th

rley of Michael, as he continued in a stoop

dmiringly exclaimed from the distance. “I lay a wager that he thinks more about h

the extremest fraction of height that his body would allow of, to re-straighten his back and shoulders — thrusting out his arms and twisting his features to a mass of wrinkles to emphasize the relief aquired. A quart or two of

man as father for two things — cleaving up old dead apple-tree wood and playing the bass-vi

the

inly from rou

el tapped, and w

ed; and after the light of a lantern had passed the window and made wheeling ray