"Did she say dinner, Betsey, at this taam o' day? Agh's just deein' for a dish o' tea. However, we'll say nowt. Agh was glad you did n't say we took a check o' dinner at Stilton. Dress, too! Agh wondher if there's cumpany, and what they'll expect uz te put on."

'Agh seere agh naw n't."

This was the customary answer of Miss Betsey Pearson, to the various wonderings of her elder sister.

CHAPTER XIV.

The Bazaar.

"ARE our cousins arrived?" was the inquiry of Mr. James Jones, on entering the drawingroom, where he found only his sisters, whose united reply, if reply it could be called, amounted to no more than

"Oh, James!" "Ah, James!"

Even the loquacious Grizzle, for once was silenced; and her apparently inexhaustible fund of good nature proved insufficient to blind her to the awful task she had undertaken.

"I see, I see," said Mr. James Jones. "Well, Grizzle! it is your own affair, so make what you can of it. But where are the natives? Dressing, I suppose."

"We shall have dinner some time this evening, I fancy," said Miss Julia; "though we need not expect it then, if we are to wait till the MissPearsons are humanized! Such a pair! in dark bottle green-habits, they would have been,

only that they scarcely reached the tops of their leather boots."

"Most likely they have grown taller since the habits were made, or the cloth may have shrunk, you know, Julia; it does sometimes, even in London. But I will go and summon them. Perhaps they are tired, and have lain down."

"Cousin Pearsons tired, Grizzle! Oh! you have much yet to learn."

Grizzle's gentle tap at the door of the spare room, was received by an eager "Cum in;" and, on entering, she found no progress had been made beyond that of taking off the objectionable habits.

"Aw, aghm saw glad you've cum upp, cuzzin Grizzle. Betsey and me was just wondering what we'd better put on, for agh thowt, as you mentioned dressing, there must be cumpany, so, may be, we'd better put wer low topps on."

"Whatever you please, my dears," their cousin replied, being quite unable to guess the meaning of topps, which she afterwards understood to constitute the distinction between revealing, or otherwise, the scraggy necks of the Misses Pearson.

"We expect no company to-day, so that you need take no remarkable pains with your toilet.

In fact, the more speedy you can make it, the better, as my brother James is come in, and I believe dinner is quite ready."

"Aw, then, tak oot wer brown high topps, Betsey, wite's se cauld, and the browns are laaned, you knaw. We'll be doone just noo, cuzzen Grizzle."

In little more than half an hour, the "brown high tops" were assumed. The Misses Pearson invariably dressing alike, and the choice of their garments resting solely with Miss Nancy, who gave great part of her time, and nearly all her thoughts, to this important subject, thus rendering it unnecessary for her sister to do any thing more than consult the decision of the elder one.

"Thomas, the man-servant," shortly after announced dinner; and Mr. James Jones, approaching Miss Nancy Pearson, (rather unceremoniously, as she felt,) linked her arm within his, and descended the staircase. She stared at the young man; but having previously resolved to be surprized at nothing, she submitted quietly to his guidance, believing it intended as a compliment on her arrival, as it was a piece of gallantry the Swaledale farmers had not acquired the practice of.

"You call this dinner," observed Miss Betsey,

"bud its more like oor supper taam; howiver, agh can't say it cums amiss to me, for all we 've hed naw tea: bud its all use, agh expect. Cuzzen James used oftens to laff at uz, when he was 'Swaledale, for dining at twelve o'clock: agh can't think, for magh part, hoow he, or any body else, can fast till this taam a day."

"Will you do me the favour?" interposed Mr. James Jones, grasping the white wine decanter, and fixing his eyes inquiringly on the damsel.

66

Eagh?" proceeded from the lips of Miss Nancy.

"You will take a glass of wine with my brother," explained Miss Jones.

"Aw! naw, thank you, cuzzen Grizzle, that's cuzzen James, agh'd as lief heve a sup beer, or ayel, or ouwt o' that sort."

"I am sorry to say we have no malt liquor in the house. It is seldom drank in London."

"Aye! why, niver heed, cuzzen Joolia, then agh'll heve sum waane, if its nut curran waan, bud that allis disagrees we' maa boowels."

"You will find that sherry pretty good, I hope," said Miss Julia Jones, drawing up her long throat to its utmost length.

"Ay! its niceish tipple enuff," observed the