Miss Martha Hawkins, the Squire's niece, and his housekeeper in his present bereaved condition, leaning over the palings--pickets she called them--of the garden fence, talking to the master.

Miss Hawkins was recently from Massachusetts.

How many people there are in the most cultivated communities whose education is partial! "It's very common for school-master to dig in the elements at the East," proceeded Miss Martha.

Like many other people born in the celestial empires (of which there are three--China, Virginia, Massachusetts), Miss Martha was not averse to reminding outside barbarians of her good fortune in this regard.

It did her good to speak of the East.
Now Ralph was amused with Miss Martha.