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ing. "Hah! hah! well done, most melancholy Jaques. Did he not moralize this spectacle?—Oh, yes, my lord, into a thousand similies.' Well done, most grave Sir John! Why, it was currently reported in town, that you were turned field preacher, and when I look at your countenance, sad in its expression as an empty opera-box, and listen to your admirable truism, I am led to believe, that if you have not commenced that most edifying vocation, you are at least in training for it."

"Ah, my dear lord! we thought you napping. Trust me, I have just returned from a scene that affords abundant food for moralizing-though, perhaps, not precisely in the vein of melancholy Jaques."

"We shall be glad to be introduced to this same scene, for the drowsy atmosphere of this mansion of yours, has fairly put both Lucy and myself hors de combat.'"

"You will, I am sure, be gratified and astonished by a visit to the manufactory, not more by the mechanical wonders you will see, than by the character of the individuals connected with them." And he proceeded to relate all that he knew about them -his auditors expressed a wish personally to visit them, and inspect their details, and in a day or two, Sir John forwarded a note to Manford, with a polite intimation of the pleasure they should have in visiting his mill;-to this a cheerful assent was returned, and ten o'clock the following day fixed for the purpose.

CHAPTER VI.

THE VISIT TO THE MILL-PLEBEIAN IDEAS.

"Custom that doth still dispense

A universal influence,

And make things right or wrong appear,
Just as they do her livery wear."

Hudibras.

John Manford having told his mother and sisters, of the intended visit of the noble party, all was immediately in confusion. Not a female tongue in the house but was in active motion, and a continuous clack resounded from kitchen to parlour, from parlour to drawing-room, and from drawing-room to bed-room.

Mrs. Manford had recourse to her usual and familiar counsellor, the spirit decanter; the daughters scampered up and down, now quarrelling with each other, and then scolding the servants; whilst Jem, who acted alternately as footman, groom, gardener, knife and shoe cleaner, and general factotum, exclaimed—“Dang it, mussus, what's to be done."

Now this was precisely the point of difficultywhat was to be done-something they were determined to do to the purpose. An earl and a countess! such people had never visited any body whom they knew, and they felt the importance of the approaching event, and were resolved to make the most of it.

The whole family were at length got together in the hall, and a council of war was held, in which

Jem and the three maid servants had voices; on this occasion, all their household appurtenances were talked over, and a plan of operations agreed upon.

The young ladies laid aside their silk dresses, and, clad in homely bed-gowns, were soon busily at work-one was engaged in the kitchen, making pastry-another in uncovering two splendid beds, which were favourite "lions"—and a third in dusting the "images," as they called several excellent casts in the hall, and on the different landing-places.. Mrs. Manford occupied herself in decanting some half dozen sorts of wine, aided by Jem; whilst the maids were scouring, scrubbing and dusting, as if their very lives depended on their present labours.

This judicious division of labour, as our modern political economists term it, soon showed its effects, and about supper-time all was declared right, and the female Manfords sat down after their hurry to discuss the "coming event."

"Well," said Mrs. Manford, "if they'd given us a bit more time, we should ha' shown 'em something as it is, they'll not find many lords' houses much better fitted up, I've a notion."

"Aye," said Phoebe, "why how Lady Haggerton will stare to find a smarter house than her own. It's my opinion there is'n't a house better fitted up in the world."

"If we'd only something more in the eating line, I should have been satisfied, but we must excuse it, and say nothing keeps fresh this warm weather," said another.

"What will the Nortons, the Thompsons, and the Heathes say now!" exclaimed another. "They as made such a fuss about a bit of a captain dining with them-my word, they'll split with vexation."

John Manford, who joined them at supper, said -but little, and what he did say was any thing but

pleasing to the ladies. He called them "ninnies," for making so much fuss for people who would most likely hardly notice them, and who were too much accustomed to splendour to make any stir about it. This gratuitous piece of information they could not comprehend, and therefore did not believe.

The eventful morning came in due course, and all were a-foot, as Mrs. Manford expressed herself, at "skrike of day." Ten o'clock came also, and with it came the party, punctual to their time. Greatly, however, to their mortification and surprise, they drove straight to the mill, without ever turning their eyes to the new house.

As this was the first view which the earl and countess had had, of the mechanical wonders of a large cotton manufactory, and of the force and extensive application of the infant steam-engine, their curiosity was amply gratified. They were also much struck by the number of work-people; men, women, and children arranged together; and also by the extreme order and neatness of the whole matériel.

In these respects, indeed, Mr. Manford's establishment was a model; as he was entirely devoted to business, and had acquired considerable wealth, his pride showed itself in the excellence of his machinery, the fine quality of his goods, the internal economy of his mill, and the best methods of conducting its multifarious details.

Simple as he was in his manners, plainly drest, unostentatious in his display of wonders, some of which were of his own creation, coarse in speech, and of odd, and by no means inviting appearance, the noble party correctly appreciated his character, and both felt and expressed respect for the man, whose energies and perseverance had succeeded in calling into exercise, mechanical inventions, which

had already built up his own fortune, found profitable employment for hundreds of families, and which promised to prove abundant sources of national wealth.

It was also known to Sir John, as an honourable trait in his character, that every man whose ingenuity enabled him to make any new mechanical contrivance, was sure to be rewarded by Manford. He now cheerfully explained, as far as their nature would allow of explanation, all the operations connected with his peculiar manufacture, so that both parties, after an hour spent in the mill, were mutually pleased with each other, the manufacturer by the commendations and polite attentions of the visitors, and the visitors by the plainness and straight-forward simplicity of the manufacturer. A cordial shake by the hand from Sir John and the earl, and many thanks from her ladyship, pleased Manford highly, and the party left the mill much delighted by what they had witnessed.

Meanwhile, all was anxious expectation at Factory Hall. The house overlooked the mill, and every eye had been strained to catch a glimpse of the party, as they moved from one part of the building to another. No sooner was the white hat of the countess seen emerging from the door-way, than the word of command was given, and each individual hastened to occupy the post assigned to him or her, in the approaching scene.

Jem, the footman, was stationed behind the halldoor-one maid servant, with cheeks and arms as red as her crimson top-knot, was placed at the drawing-room door-another at the door of the best bed-room, containing the "lion" bed—and the third had her post at the foot of the stair-case, for no other purpose, as far as she could divine, than to drop a curtsey; Mrs. Manford and daughters stood in a body at the open door of the dining

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