THE NATIVE VILLAGE. 323

but if you please to accept of that, I will bring you
some. |
Beawn. Thank you—we will trouble you for some.
Mary. Will you please to walk in out of the sun,
gentlemen; ours is a very poor house, indeed; but 1
will find you a seat to sit down on, while I draw the
water.
Harf. (to Beaumont.) The same good creature as
ever! let us go in.

Scene II.—The Inside of the Cottage. An old Man sitting by 3
Hearth.

Beaum. We have made bold, friend, to trouble your
wife for a little water.

John Beech. Sit. down—sit down, gentlemen. I
would get up to give you my chair, but I have the
misfortune to be lame, and am almost blind, too.

Harf. Lame and blind! Ob, Beaumont! (aszde.)

John. Ay, sir, old age will come on! and, God
knows, we have very little means to fence against it.

Beaum. What, have you nothing but your labour
to subsist on ?

John. We made that do, sir, as long as we could;
jut now I am hardly capable of domg anything, and
my poor wife can earn very little by spinning, so we
have been forced at last to apply to the parish.

Harf. To the parish! well, I hope they consider
the services of your better days, and provide for you
comfortably. |

John, Alas, sir! Iam not much given to complain;
but what can a shilling a week do, im these hard times P

Harf. Little enough, indeed! And is that all they
allow you?

John. It 1s, sir; and we are not to have that much
longer, for they say we must come into the workhouse.

Mary. (entering with the water.) Here, gentlemen.
The jug is clean, 1f you can drink out of it.

Harf. The workhouse, do you say?

dary. Yes, gentlemen—that makes my poor hus.

Ee