"Aye!" said Mrs. Purkis, smoothing down the bed, and despatching Jenny for an armful of lavender-scented towels, "times is changed, miss; our new Vicar has seven children, and is building a nursery ready for more, just where the arbour and tool-house used to be in old times. And he has had new grates put in, and a plate-glass window in the drawing-room. He and his wife are stirring people, and have done a deal of good; at least they say it's doing good; if it were not, I should call it turning things upside down for very little purpose. The new Vicar is a teetotaller, miss, and a magistrate, and his wife has a deal of receipts for economical cooking, and is for making bread without yeast; and they both talk so much, and both at a time, that they knock one down as it were, and it's not till they're gone, and one's a little at peace, that one can think that there were things one might have said on one's own side of the question. He'll be after the men's cans in the hay-field, and peeping in; and then there'll be an ado because it's not ginger-beer, but I can't help it. My mother and my grandmother before me sent good malt liquor to hay-makers, and took salts and senna when anything ailed them; and I must e'en go on in their ways, though Mrs. Hepworth does want to give me comfits instead of medicine, which, as she says, is a deal pleasanter, only I've no faith in it. But I must go, miss, though I'm wanting to hear many a thing; I'll come back to you before long."
Mr. Bell had strawberries and cream, a loaf of brown bread, and a jug of milk (together with a Stilton cheese and a bottle of port for his own private refreshment), ready for Margaret on her coming down stairs; and after this rustic luncheon they set out for a walk, hardly knowing in what direction to turn, so many old familiar inducements were there in each.

'Aye!' said Mrs. Purkis, smoothing down the bed, 'times is changed, miss; our new Vicar Mr. Hepworth has seven children, and is building a nursery ready for more, where the arbour used to be. And he has had new grates put in, and a plate-glass window in the drawing-room. He and his wife have done a deal of good, they say; though I should call it turning things upside down for very little purpose. The new Vicar is a teetotaller, miss, and a magistrate, and his wife has a deal of receipts for economical cooking; and they both talk so much, and both at a time, that they knock one down as it were. He'll be after the men's cans in the hay-field, and there'll be an ado because it's not ginger beer. But I must go, miss; I'll come back to you before long.'
Mr. Bell had strawberries and cream, a loaf of brown bread, and a jug of milk (together with a Stilton cheese and a bottle of port for his own refreshment,) ready for Margaret on her coming downstairs; and after this rustic luncheon they set out to walk.
