98 ALL IS NOT GOLD THAT GLITTERS.

nances of both, convinced her that every thing
was proceeding in opposition to her ‘* pruden-
tial motives.” Edward frankly expounded all, to
her entire dissatisfaction. ‘She did not,” she
said, ‘“‘at all approve of engagements; shé
would not sanction any engagement except at
the altar; she thought Mr. Lynne (Mr. Lynne!
she had never in her life before called him any
thing but ‘* Ned”) she thought he ought to have
spoken to her first as became a gentleman.”
And Edward, provoked beyond bearing at what
always upstirs a noble soul—mere worldly-
mindedness—replied, ‘* that he never professed
to be a gentleman; he was, and ever would be,
a farmer, and nothing more; and for all that,
he thought a farmer—an honest, upright, Eng-
lish farmer—might have as correct ideas as to
right and wrong as any gentleman.” At this
Mrs. Myles became very indignant; like the
frog in the fable, she endeavoured to think her-
self an ox, and talked and locked magnificence
itself, until at last she felt as if being her grand-
children was enough to entitle Helen-and Rose
to sit before a queen. She talked of Edward,
—his occupatien, his barns, his cows, horses,
and sheep—until Rose, all gentle as she was,
roused, and said, that for herself she had no
ambition beyond that of being the useful wife of
an honest man; that Edward had honoured
her, and, sorry as she should be to displease the
only parent she had ever known, she had plight-