BLANCH AND ROSALINDA. 49

much ado to hobble along. “You seem very much tired,
dame,” said she to the old woman, “sit down here and rest
yourself a Little ;” at the same time she bid her daughters fetch
a chair: they both went,
but Rosalinda ran faster
and brought one-—“ Will
you please to drink ?” said
Goody Hearty. “Thank
you,” answered the old
woman, “I don’t care if I
do; and methinks if you
had anything nice, that 1 BY
liked, I could eatabit."— §
“You are welcome to the
best I have in my house,”
said Goody Hearty ; “ but as I am poor, it is homely fi fare.”
She then ordered her daughters to spread a clean cloth on the
table, while she went to the cupboard, from whence she took
some brown bread and cheese, to which she added a mug of
cider. As soon as the old woman was seated at the table,
Goody Hearty desired ber elder daughter to go and gather
some plums off her own plum-tree, which she had planted
herself, and took great delight in. Blanch, instead of obeying
her mother readily, grumbled and muttered as she went.
“Surely,” said she to herself, “I did not take all this care and
pains with my plum-tree for that old greedy creature.” How-
ever, she durst not refuse gathering a few plums; but she gave
them with a very ill will, and very ungraciously. “As for
you, Rosalinda,” said her mother, “ you have no fruit to offer
this good dame, for your grapes are not ripe.”"—‘ That's true,”
said Rosalinda, “ but my hen has just laid, for I hear her cackle,
and if the gentlewoman likes a new-laid egg, tis very much at
z