With this happy family I spent a few weeks, and during that time had leisure to make many observations: but nothing struck me so much as the incredible superstitious notions which were entertained by the whole village: the amiable Amy Seedman not being an exception.
It happened that amongst the most favoured of Amy's suitors, was one Thomas Green. He was the son of a surgeon, and had been sent to a farmer in the neighbourhood of Barnel, in order to be instructed in the arts of husbandry and agriculture. He was a good looking person, with light hair and a florid complexion, about twenty- five years of age, was generally better dressed than was usual with the farmers' sons thereabouts, and his manners had a slight degree of town polish about them, which made him an object of great interest amongst the girls of the village. But Amy seemed to claim his chief attention, and it was evident that she was what is ordinarily termed, in love with him.
Now Amy was a quiet, reserved girl, but in course of frequent conversation with me, had confessed her attachment to this young man, and her fears that he was not serious in his professions of constancy towards her. "Would there," said she to me, one day, "be any harm in ascertaining this." "Certainly not," I answered, "if you are possessed of the means of doing so." "I have the means," said she, "but I don't know whether such means are culpable or not, and I wish to consult you on the matter, only I must beg that you keep my secret, for I
