On seeing her visitor enter, after the
first compliments on the state of health and weather were over, she
expressed her hopes that he had not drank tea; and, on receiving a
negative, which she did not quite expect, as she thought he had been
perhaps invited by some of her neighbours, she put in an additional
spoonful on his account; and brought from her corner cupboard with
the glass door, an ancient French pickle-bottle, in which she had
preserved, since the great tea-drinking formerly mentioned, the
remainder of the two ounces of carvey, the best, Mrs. Nanse bought
for that memorable occasion. A short conversation then took place
relative to the Pringles; and, while the tea was masking, for Miss
Mally said it took a long time to draw, she read to him the
following letter:-
LETTER XXII
Mrs. Pringle to Miss Mally Glencairn
My Dear Miss Mally--Trully, it may be said, that the croun of
England is upon the downfal, and surely we are all seething in the
pot of revolution, for the scum is mounting uppermost. Last week,
no farther gone than on Mononday, we came to our new house heer in
Baker Street, but it's nather to be bakit nor brewt what I hav sin
syne suffert.
Pages:
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153