56 The Story of the Hamiltons.

 "\Vell, miss, Tom he's gone out working
with Farmer Perry, an' Richard he bean't a
come back from school; the baby she's
asleep in the cradle there. It's seldom she
do drop off for more nor a few minutes;
she's a mighty restless child, and I'm thank-
ful when she will lay a bit, so as I may tidy
the house like, and do my mite of washing.
Maybe she'll wake directly, and then you can
see her if you please, miss."
 "So Richard is at school? Does he go
every day ?"
 Yes, and mostly, miss, Sundays and all.
Tanner and me be bad scholars ourselves, but
we likes the children to get a bit o' learning."
 "And does Richard get on nicely?"
 He begins to read fairish-like now, miss.
lie and Tom, between 'em, manage to read
a chapter to their father and me on a Sunday
evening."
 "But can't Tom read well ? he looks a big,
clever boy."
 He's very well for bigness, miss, but he's
obliged to do what work he can get, an' he
don't have much time for his books. He's
a trying' to improve hisself with his writing
of a night; but seeing as he has no copies,
he can't get on very well."