It was what the boy was looking for.
"Got a character ?" asked the farmer.

The boy replied that he had for the last two years been working for Mr.Muggs, the ironmonger--felt sure that Mr.Muggs would give him a good character.
"Well, go and ask Mr.Muggs to come across and speak to me, I will wait here," directed the would-be employer.

Five minutes went by--ten minutes.

No Mr.Muggs appeared.

Later in the afternoon the farmer met the boy again.
"Mr.Muggs never came near me with that character of yours," said the farmer.
"No, sir," answered the boy, "I didn't ask him to." "Why not ?" inquired the farmer.
"Well, I told him who it was that wanted it"-- the boy hesitated.
"Well ?" demanded the farmer, impatiently.
"Well, then, he told me yours," explained the boy.
Maybe the working woman, looking for a husband, and not merely a livelihood, may end by formulating standards of her own.