Act II

Five years have elapsed between Acts I. and II.

SCENE.--A meadow. On one side a pathway going over a rustic bridge. At back the farmhouse among trees. In the distance a church spire.

DOBSON and DORA.

DOBSON. So the owd uncle i' Coomberland be deäd, Miss Dora, beänt he?

DORA. Yes, Mr. Dobson, I've been attending on his death-bed and his burial.

DOBSON. It be five year sin' ye went afoor to him, and it seems to me nobbut t'other day. Hesn't he left ye nowt?

DORA. No, Mr. Dobson.

DOBSON. But he were mighty fond o' ye, warn't he?

DORA. Fonder of poor Eva--like everybody else.

DOBSON (handing DORA basket of roses). Not like me, Miss Dora; and I ha' browt these roses to ye--I forgits what they calls 'em, but I hallus gi'ed soom on 'em to Miss Eva at this time o' year. Will ya taäke 'em? fur Miss Eva, she set the bush by my dairy winder afoor she went to school at Littlechester--so I allus browt soom on 'em to her; and now she be gone, will ye taäke 'em, Miss Dora?

DORA. I thank you. They tell me that yesterday you mentioned her name too suddenly before my father. See that you do not do so again!

DOBSON. Noä; I knaws a deal better now. I seed how the owd man wur vext.

DORA. I take them, then, for Eva's sake. [Takes basket, places some in her dress.

DOBSON. Eva's saäke. Yeas. Poor gel, poor gel! I can't abeär to think on 'er now, fur I'd ha' done owt fur 'er mysen; an' ony o' Steer's men, an' ony o' my men 'ud ha' done owt fur 'er, an' all the parish 'ud ha' done owt fur 'er, fur we was all on us proud on 'er, an' them theer be soom of her oän roses, an' she wur as sweet as ony on 'em--the Lord bless 'er--'er oän sen; an' weänt ye taäke 'em now, Miss Dora, fur 'er saäke an' fur my saäke an' all?

DORA. Do you want them back again?

DOBSON. Noä, noä! Keep 'em. But I hed a word to saäy to ye.

DORA. Why, Farmer, you should be in the hayfield looking after your men; you couldn't have more splendid weather.

DOBSON. I be a going theer; but I thowt I'd bring tha them roses fust. The weather's well anew, but the glass be a bit shaäky. S'iver we've led moäst on it.

DORA. Ay! but you must not be too sudden with it either, as you were last year, when you put it in green, and your stack caught fire.

DOBSON. I were insured, Miss, an' I lost nowt by it. But I weänt be too sudden wi' it; and I feel sewer, Miss Dora, that I ha' been noän too sudden wi' you, fur I ha' sarved for ye well nigh as long as the man sarved for 'is sweet'art i' Scriptur'. Weänt ye gi'e me a kind answer at last?

DORA. I have no thought of marriage, my friend. We have been in such grief these five years, not only on my sister's account, but the ill success of the farm, and the