‘lays hands upon his wife is to have his bones ſuffer for it. The men are a naughty tribe; therefore, ſays the proverb, After marriage comes ſorrow,—but I muſt e’en ſubmit to it, ſince I once have vowed to take it for better and worſe.’
‘That is indeed true; but if thou wert ſure the men were a naughty tribe beforehand, it was but a fooliſh bargain to take one for better and for worſe.’
‘Perhaps it was; but Stephen was a briſk handſome wild young man, with a good trade; as for me, I was but a poor ſimple girl, without a farthing for my portion. So he came to me and gave me a dollar earneſt, and the bargain was ſtruck. Afterwards, indeed, he took away the dollar, but I have the wild man left ſtill.’
The ſpirit ſmiled: ‘But perhaps it is thou that makeſt him wild by thy perverſeneſs.’
‘Oh! he has long ſince driven that de-
‘vil
