"'No,' he replied, 'I won't; you shall not have it. Go away, I do not want you here.' "'Well, then,' said she, 'may Miss H----n stop with you?' "'Yes,' he replied, 'I shall be glad of her company.' "'No,' I said, 'I cannot stop, for I intend walking home, and it is time I was going.' "'Oh, you must not leave him,' said Mrs. Nicholson. 'He will get more to drink, and Mr. ---- will not get him home. He will be as stupid as a mule if he gets any more drink; so, there's a dear good girl, do stay with him, and don't let him get any more drink, and mind and watch that nobody robs him, and see that he does not lose his bands. Now,' she said, addressing him, 'mind you do as Mary Anne wishes you.' "'Yes; certainly,' he replied. "'But,' I said, 'I shall have a long walk; so I must go directly.' "'No,' said Mr. Nicholson, 'you had better come with us. I am sure that Mr. ----, the churchwarden, will be glad to accommodate you with a seat in his gig. I will go and ask him.' "'You'll get more drink if you go,' said Mrs. Nicholson; 'he is in the parlour below, and I'll go and ask him myself. So promise me, Mary Anne, that you won't leave him, and then I'll be content.' "Just then the gentleman himself entered the room, and Mr. Nicholson asked him if he could take this young lady also. He said he could, with the greatest pleasure. Mrs. Nicholson was delighted with this arrangement. She charged me again not to leave him, and then hurried away, and got into the cart, where the driver was grumbling at having to wait so long. "Mr. Nicholson, Mr. ----, and myself had a pleasant chat until the gig drove up. We were soon wheeling along the road, and overtook the waggon a short distance from the town, Mrs. Nicholson bawling out as we passed--'Mind, Mary Anne, and take care of him; don't let him out of your sight till I come.'" About this time they bought some more land, and, as usual, Mrs. Nicholson wanted to have it secured to herself, but her husband positively refused to hear of it. On the morning when he was going to order the writings she endeavoured to gain her point by a little coaxing. As she assisted him on with his coat she said, "Come, Johnny, honey, I'll give you a glass of gin for fear you get cold. It is such a cold morning." And when she gave it to him she added, "Now, Johnny, honey, you'll get these deeds made the same as the others?" "No, Nancy," he replied, "I shall not indeed. I have been deceived by you too often." This led to a torrent of abuse, before which Mr. Nicholson fled. He went to Howden to order the writings, from which, however, he excluded her name, an offence which she never forgave him, and the loss of that land after Mr. Nicholson's death was a constant subject of regret.