There 's Uncle , back from the Fair . Put down that mug afore you damage it , May ; and , Annet , do you go and help your uncle in . If ever there was a careless little wench , ‘ tis she . I never did hold with the bringing up of other folks children and if I 'd had my way , ‘ tis to the poor-house they 'd have went , instead of coming here where I 've enough to do with my own . I 'm not one that can be taken by surprise , Dan . May , lay that parcel on the table at once , and put away your uncle 's hat and overcoat . I daresay you 'll be told all in good season . Here , take up and get on with that sewing , I dislike to see young people idling away their time . I do n't hold with drinking nor with taking bites atween meals , but as your uncle has come a good distance , and the day is warm , you make take the key of the pantry , Annet , and draw a glass of cider for him . I would n't encourage the child in her nonsense , if I was you , Dan . She 's old enough to know better than to ask to be taken to such places . Why in all my days I never set my foot within a fair , pleasure or business , nor wanted to , either . Certainly not . I wonder at your asking such a question , May . But you do say some very unsuitable things for a little child of your age . No , Father , ‘ twill spoil your next meal as it is . They do n't want to hear about anything sensible , Dan . They 're like all the maids now , with their thoughts set on pleasuring and foolishness . And that they were . Why , when I was your age , Annet , I should have been ashamed if I could n't have held my own in any proper or suitable conversation . Ah — I recollect . And a good thing if there were others of the same pattern now , I 'm thinking . Come , Father . Come , Father , such talk is hardly suited to little girls , who should know better than to ask so many teasing questions . And did you have company on the way home , Father ? Along of Andrew ? Girls , you may now go outside into the garden for a while . Yes , put aside your work . You heard what I said ? Go off into the garden , and stop there till I send for you . And take uncle 's glass and wash it at the spout as you go . She 's got old enough to be put to service , and if I 'd have had my way , ‘ tis to service she 'd have gone this long time since , and that it is . Well , you must please yourself about it Father , as you do most times . But ‘ tis uncertain work taking up with other folks children as I told you from the first . See what a lot of trouble you and me have had along of Giles . No , Father , Giles has never sent a letter since the day he left home . But very often there is no need for letters to keep remembrance green . ‘ Tis a plant what thrives best on a soil that is bare . All I say is that I hope he may get it then . Well , that 's not my fault , Father . And you may pitch , Father . You may lead the mare down to the pond , but she 'll not drink if she has n't the mind to . You know what Millie is . ‘ Tis n't from my side that she gets it either . Yes , there you are , Father . Well , if you think you can shew her that , Father , ‘ tis a fortunate job on all sides . May , what are you a-doing here I should like to know ? Did n't I send you out into the garden along of your sister ? Then you can be off again , and shut the door this time , do your hear ? Get along off , you tiresome child .— One word might do for some , but it takes twenty to get you to move .— Run along now , do you hear me ?Well , Father , I 've done my share with Millie and she do n't take a bit of notice of what I say . So now it 's your turn . All right , Father , just you try your way — I 'll have nothing more to do with it . There , Father , I told you what to expect . And so I told you , Father , from the start . I 'm not deaf , Father . Millie has not shown any backwardness in clothing herself as though for church . Well , ‘ tis to be hoped the young people have fixed it up for good and all this time . I think we 've all had quite enough of Millie 's tongue , Father . Let her give it a rest if she 've a mind . And supper just about to be served ? I 'm surprised at you , Father . No , I can n't hear of cider being drawn so needless like . Millie , do you call your cousins in to supper . So that 's where you 've been , you deceitful little wench . And how long may you have bid there , I should like to know ? There , run along quick and find your sister . Supper 's late already , and that it is . Stop a moment , Millie . What are you thinking of to go trailing out in the dew with that beautiful cloak and bonnet . Take and lay them in the box at once , do you hear ? Off with the cloak this minute , Millie . I do n't know what 's come to the maid . She do n't act like herself to-day . I 'd be content with a suitable behaviour , Father . I 'm not hard to please . ‘ Tis all very well for you to talk , Father but ‘ tis I who have got to do . Well , Father , I 'm not detaining you . There 's the door , and the food has been cooling on the table this great while . And what do you want to run about in the garden for when I 've just smoothed your hair and got you all ready to go to church ? You should know better then . Did n't I tell you to sit still in that chair with your hands folded nicely till we were ready to start . This 'll be the last time as I tie your ribbon , mind . What 's your cousin doing now , Annet ? In all my days I never did hear tell of such a thing , I do n't know what 's coming to the world , I do n't . Crying ? She 'll have something to cry about if she does n't look out , when her father comes in , and hears how she 's a - going on . Look you , May , you get and run up , and knock at the door and tell her that ‘ twill soon be time for us to set off to church and that she have got to make haste in her dressing . Now Annet , no idling here , if you please . Set the nosegay in water , and when you 've given a look round to see that everything is in its place , upstairs with you , and on with your bonnet , do you hear ? Uncle wo n't wish to be kept waiting for you , remember . Millie has not seen fit to shew herself this morning , Father . She 's biding up in her room with the door locked , and nothing that I 've been able to say has been attended to , so perhaps you 'll kindly have your try . I 'm fairly tired of sending up to her , Father . You 'd best go yourself . There , Father ,— perhaps you 'll believe what I tell you another time . Millie has got that hardened and wayward , there 's no managing of her , there 's not . ‘ Tis all very well to talk of young Andrew , but who 's a - going to get her to church with him I 'd like to know . Very well , Father , and we shall all be much obliged to you . You 'd best take sommat and go and break open the door , Father . ‘ Tis the sensiblest thing as you can do , only you 'd never think of anything like that by yourself . There , there , Father — there 's no need to bluster in this fashion . Take up the poker and go and break into the door quiet and decent , like anyone else would do . And girls — off for your bonnets this moment I tell you . Good-morning , Andrew . ‘ Tis Father at a little bit of carpentering . We know what young men be upon their wedding morn ! I warrant as the clock can n't run too fast for them at such a time . You 'll have enough words presently . Hark , she 's coming down with Father now . I would n't make such a show of myself if I was you , Mill . Go upstairs this minute and wash your face and smooth your hair and put yourself ready for church . I do n't know what 's come to the house this morning , and that 's the truth . Andrew , I 'll not have you keep Millie beyond a five minutes . ‘ Tis enough of one another as you 'll get later on , like . Father , go you off upstairs for your coat . ‘ Tis hard work for me , getting you all to act respectable , that ‘ tis . Millie , what are you stopping for ? Come you up here and get your gown on , do . There , father , come along down and give your face a wash at the pump . If you think that your neckerchief is put on right ‘ tis time you should know different , Father . ‘ Tis altogether wrong . ‘ Tis like the two ears of a heifer sticking out more than anything else that I can think on . Thrown there in a fine fit of temper , I warrant . We all hear a great deal about your word , Father , but ‘ twould be better for there to be more do and less say about you . I have n't patience with the wenches now-a-days . Lay down that nosegay at once , Annet , and call your cousin from her room . I warrant she has finished tricking of herself up by now . Too late — I should think it was . What 's come to the maid ! In my time girls did n't use to spend a quarter of the while afore the glass as they do now . Suppose you was to holler for her again , Father . She 's right enough in the clothing of her , but ‘ twould be better if her looks did match the garments more . Come , Millie , can n't you appear pleasanter like on your wedding day ? And what next , I should like to know ? Run along and get some for your cousin , May . Who 's that , I should like to know ? We do n't want no beggars nor roadsters here to-day , if you please . I never knowed you so careful of a poor wretch afore , Millie . ‘ Tis quite a new set out , this . Please to come to your right senses , Millie . No , Father , I 'll leave you to manage this affair . ‘ Tis you who have spoiled Mill and brought her up so wayward and unruly , and ‘ tis to you I look for to get us out of this unpleasant position . And who are these persons , Giles ? And who may you be , I should like to know ? You appear to be making very free with my parlour . Old Missis , indeed . Father , you shall speak to these persons . Put them both out of the door , Father , do you hear me ? ‘ Tis to the cider as they 've been getting . That 's clear . Depend upon it ‘ tis two wicked thieves we have got among us , flying from justice . Do you hear that , Father ? O you shocking liars — ‘ tis stolen goods that you 've been and brought to our innocent house this day . But , Father , do you up and fetch in the constable , do you hear ? Well — ‘ tis a respectabler end than I thought as you 'd come to , Giles . And different nor what you deserved . I shall be deaf before I 've done , but it appears to me that Annet 's not lost any time in making the most of her chances . I 'll have no cider drinking out of meal times here . And that 'll not be till this day next year if this sort of thing goes on any longer .