Sophy has the money to discharge the meaner part of our debt to you." "I don't value that," said the Cobbler, colouring.
"But we value your esteem," said Mr.Waife, with a smile that would have become a field-marshal.

"And so, Merle, you think, if I am a broken-down vagrant, it must be put to the long account of the celestial bodies!" "Not a doubt of it," returned the Cobbler, solemnly.

"I wish you would give me date and place of Sophy's birth that's what I want; I'd take her horryscope.

I'm sure she'd be lucky." "I'd rather not, please," said Sophy, timidly.
"Rather not ?--very odd.

Why ?" "I don't want to know the future." "That is odder and odder," quoth the Cobbler, staring; "I never heard a girl say that afore." "Wait till she's older, Mr.Merle," said Waife: "girls don't want to know the future till they want to be married." "Summat in that," said the Cobbler.