COUSIN PHILLIS. 20
bottom on the Heathbridge moss, over which we wished to carry our line. In the midst of all my eagerness in speaking about this, I could not help being struck with the extreme pertinence of his questions. I do not mean that he did not show ignorance of many of the details of engineering: that was to have been expected; but on the premises he had got hold of, he thought clearly and reasoned logically. Phillis — so like him as she was both in body and mind — kept stopping at her work and looking at me, trying to fully understand all that I said. I felt she did; and perhaps it made me take more pains in using clear expressions, and arranging my words, than I otherwise should.
"She shall see I know something worth knowing, though it mayn't be her dead-and-gone languages," thought I.
"I see," said the minister, at length. "I understand it all. You've a clear, good head of your own, my lad, — choose how you came by it."
"From my father," said I, proudly. "Have you not heard of his discovery of a new method of shunting? It was in the Gazette. It was patented. I thought every one had heard of Manning's patent winch."
"We don't know who invented the alphabet," said he, half smiling, and taking up his pipe.
"No, I dare say not, sir," replied I, half offended; "that's so long ago."
Puff—puff—puff.
"But your father must be a notable man. I heard of him once before; and it is not many a one fifty miles away whose fame reaches Heathbridge."
"My father is a notable man, sir. It is not me that
