"You must know, sir," began Thomas, with an emotion which checked his usual outspoken utterance for a while, "as me and mine don't belong to these parts; and I daresay you've heard some of the queer tales which them as pays more attention to their neighbour's business than their own has got up about us. However, that matters very little. Our native place is about fifty miles from Crossbourne. Maybe you've heard of Squire Morville (Sir Lionel Morville's his proper title). He lives in a great mansion called Monksworthy Hall, just on the top of the hill after you've gone through the village. There's a splendid park round it. Most of the land about belongs to Sir Lionel; and he's lord of the manor. Well, I were born, and my father and grandfather before me, in Monksworthy, and so were Jane; and all things went on pretty smooth with us till a few years back. We'd our troubles, of course; but then _we_ didn't expect to be without 'em--Wasn't to be looked for that our road through life should be as level all the way as a bowling-green. Sir Lionel were very good to his tenants; but he were rather too fond of having lots of company at the Hall--more, I'm sure, than his lady liked; for she was a truly godly woman, and I don't doubt is so to this day. "My father and mother had a very large family, so that there wasn't full work for us all as we growed up; and, as I was one of the younger ones, they was glad to get me bound apprentice, through the squire's help, to my present trade in the north. But I liked my own native village better than any other spot as I'd ever seen, so I came back after I'd served my time, and picked up work and a wife, as a good many of the young people had been emigrating to Canada and Australia, and Sir Lionel wanted hands just then. Well, then, God sent us our children, and they soon grew up, and it weren't such easy work to feed them and clothe them as it is in a place like this. However, the Lord took care of us, and we always had enough. "Jane went to the Hall to be housemaid soon after I married; and Lady Morville were so fond of her that, she would never hear of her leaving for any other place.--Nay, Jane dear, you mustn't fret; it'll all turn out well in the end. There's One as loves us both, better than Sir Lionel and his lady, and he'll make all straight sooner or later. "Now, you must know, sir, as I'd come back from the north a teetotaler. I'd seen so much of the drunkenness and the drink-traps there that I'd made up my mind as total abstinence were the wisest, safest, and best course for both worlds; and Jane, who had never cared for either beer or wine, took the pledge with me when I came home, for the sake of doing good to others.