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The nieces replied that their aunt must choose between the dog and
them； and Mrs。 Newton sends a second letter which brings her
development to a climax。 It runs：…
〃DEAR MISS ； I have Receve your Letter and i Whent up to your Aunt
as you Wish me and i Try to Perveal With her about the Dog But she
Wold not Put the Dog away nor it alow him to Be Tied up But She
Still Wishes you to Come as Shee says the Dog Shall not interrup you
for She Donte alow the Dog nor it the Cats to Go in the Parlour
never sence She has had it Donup ferfere of Spoiling the Paint your
Aunt think it vary Strange you Should Be so vary Much afraid of a
Dog and She says you Cant Go out in London But What you are up a
gance one and She says She Wonte Trust the Dog in know one hands But
her Owne for She is afraid theay Will not fill is Belley as he Lives
upon Rost Beeff and Rost and Boil Moutten Wich he Eats More then the
Servantes in the House there is not aney One Wold Beable to Give
Sattefacktion upon that account Harry offerd to Take the Dog But She
Wood not Trust him in our hands so I Cold not Do aney thing With her
your Aunt youse to Tell Me When we was at your House in London She
Did not know how to make you amens and i Told her know it was the
Time to Do it But i Considder She sets the Dog Before you your Aunt
keep know Beer know Sprits know Wines in the House of aney Sort
Oneley a Little Barl of Wine I made her in the Summer the Workmen
and servantes are a Blige to Drink wauter Morning Noon and Night
your Aunt the Same She Donte Low her Self aney Tee nor Coffee But is
Loocking Wonderful Well
〃I Still Remane your Humble Servant Mrs Newton
〃I am vary sorry to think the Dog Perventes your Comeing
〃I am Glad to hear you are Both Well and we are the same。〃
The nieces remained firm； and from the following letter it is plain
the aunt gave way。 The dog motive is repeated pianissimo； and is
not returned tonot at least by Mrs。 Newton。
〃DEAR Miss ； I Receve your Letter on Thursday i Whent to your Aunt
and i see her and She is a Greable to everry thing i asked her and
seme so vary Much Please to see you Both Next Tuseday and she has
sent for the Faggots to Day and she Will Send for the Coles to
Morrow and i will Go up there to Morrow Morning and Make the Fiers
and Tend to the Beds and sleep in it Till you Come Down your Aunt
sends her Love to you Both and she is Quite well your Aunt Wishes
you wold Write againe Before you Come as she ma Expeckye and the Dog
is not to Gointo the Parlor a Tall
〃your Aunt kind Love to you Both & hopes you Wonte Fail in Coming
according to Prommis
MRS NEWTON。〃
From a later letter it appears that the nieces did not pay their
visit after all； and what is worse a letter had miscarried； and the
aunt sat up expecting them from seven till twelve at night； and
Harry had paid for 〃Faggots and Coles quarter of Hund。 Faggots Half
tun of Coles 1l。 1s。 3d。〃 Shortly afterwards； however； 〃She〃 again
talks of coming up to London herself and writes through her servant
…
〃My Dear girls i Receve your kind letter & I am happy to hear you ar
both Well and I Was in hopes of seeing of you Both Down at My House
this spring to stay a Wile I am Quite well my self in Helth But vary
Low Spireted I am vary sorry to hear the Misforting of Poor charles
& how he cum to flie in the Fier I cannot think。 I should like to
know if he is dead or a Live； and I shall come to London in August &
stay three or four daies if it is agreable to you。 Mrs。 Newton has
lost her mother in Law 4 day March & I hope you send me word Wather
charles is Dead or a Live as soon as possible； and will you send me
word what Little Betty is for I cannot make her out。〃
The next letter is a new handwriting； and tells the nieces of their
aunt's death in the the following terms： …
〃DEAR Miss ； It is my most painful duty to inform you that your
dear aunt expired this morning comparatively easy as Hannah informs
me and in so doing restored her soul to the custody of him whom she
considered to be alone worthy of its care。
〃The doctor had visited her about five minutes previously and had
applied a blister。
〃You and your sister will I am sure excuse further details at
present and believe me with kindest remembrances to remain
〃Yours truly； &c。〃
After a few days a lawyer's letter informs the nieces that their
aunt had left them the bulk of her not very considerable property；
but had charged them with an annuity of 1 pound a week to be paid to
Harry and Mrs。 Newton so long as the dog lived。
The only other letters by Mrs。 Newton are written on paper of a
different and more modern size； they leave an impression of having
been written a good many years later。 I take them as they come。
The first is very short：…
〃DEAR Miss ； i write to say i cannot possiblely come on Wednesday
as we have killed a pig。 your's truely；
〃ELIZABETH NEWTON。〃
The second runs：…
〃DEAR Miss ； i hope you are both quite well in health & your Leg
much better i am happy to say i am getting quite well again i hope
Amandy has reached you safe by this time i sent a small parcle by
Amandy； there was half a dozen Pats of butter & the Cakes was very
homely and not so light as i could wish i hope by this time Sarah
Ann has promised she will stay untill next monday as i think a few
daies longer will not make much diferance and as her young man has
been very considerate to wait so long as he has i think he would for
a few days Longer dear Miss I wash for William and i have not got
his clothes yet as it has been delayed by the carrier & i cannot
possiblely get it done before Sunday and i do not Like traviling on
a Sunday but to oblige you i would come but to come sooner i cannot
possiblely but i hope Sarah Ann will be prevailed on once more as
She has so many times i feel sure if she tells her young man he will
have patient for he is a very kind young man
〃i remain your sincerely
〃ELIZABETH NEWTON。〃
The last letter in my collection seems written almost within
measurable distance of the Christmas…card era。 The sheet is headed
by a beautifully embossed device of some holly in red and green；
wishing the recipient of the letter a merry Xmas and a happy new
year； while the border is crimped and edged with blue。 I know not
what it is； but there is something in the writer's highly finished
style that reminds me of Mendelssohn。 It would almost do for the
words of one of his celebrated 〃Lieder ohne Worte〃：
〃DEAR MISS MARIA；I hasten to acknowledge the receipt of your kind
note with the inclosure for which I return my best thanks。 I need
scarcely say how glad I was to know that the volumes secured your
approval； and that the announcement of the improvement in the
condition of your Sister's legs afforded me infinite pleasure。 The
gratifying news encouraged me in the hope that now the nature of the
disorder is comprehended her legs willnotwithstanding the process
may be gradualultimately get quite well。 The pretty Robin
Redbreast which lay ensconced in your epistle； conveyed to me； in
terms more eloquent than words； how much you desired me those
Compliments which the little missive he bore in his bill expressed；
the emblem is sweetly pretty； and now that we are again allowed to
felicitate each other on another recurrence of the season of the
Christian's rejoicing； permit me to tender to yourself； and by you
to your Sister； mine and my Wife's heartfelt congratulations and
warmest wishes with respect to the coming year。 It is a common
belief that if we take a retrospective view of each departing year；
as it behoves us annually to do； we shall find the blessings which
we have received to immeasurably outnumber our causes of sorrow。
Speaking for myself I can fully subscribe to that sentiment； and
doubtless neither Miss nor yourself are exceptions。 Miss 's
illness and consequent confinement to the house has been a severe
trial； but in that trouble an opportunity was afforded you to prove
a Sister's devotion and she has been enabled to realise a larger （if
possible） display of sisterly affection。
〃A happy Christmas to you both； and may the new year prove a
Cornucopia from which still greater blessings than even those we
have hitherto received； shall issue； to benefit us all by
contributing to our temporal happiness and； what is of higher
importance； conducing to our felicity hereafter。
〃I was sorry to hear that you were so annoyed with mice and rats；
and if I should have an opportunity to obtain a nice cat I will do
so and send my boy to your house with it。
〃I remain；
〃Yours truly。〃
How little what is commonly called education can do after all
towards the formation of a good style； and what a delightful volume
might not be entitled 〃Half Hours with the Worst Authors。〃 Why； the
finest word I know of in the English language was coined； not by my
poor old grandfather； whose education had left little to desire； nor
by any of the admirable scholars whom he in his turn educated； but
by an old matron who presided over one of the halls； or houses of
his school。
This good lady； whose name by the way was Bromfield； had a fine high
te