Page:Folk-lore - A Quarterly Review. Volume 7, 1896.djvu/328

Where did you get them?" "Never you mind where I got them. I sha'n't tell you," replied her husband. So off she went to the mill to buy flour; but when she then put down her new shillings to pay for the flour the miller asked: "Where did you get them? "I dunno; my old man give them to me." "You must take them back to him and tell him I sha'n't take them, until he says where he got them. I have heard talk that this new money is going about from shop to shop, and I insist on knowing where he gets it from." She returned home, and said to her husband: "Joe, you really must tell me where you get this money, for there's everybody against us now; and I expect the next thing your master will pay you off." Whilst she was talking the miller himself entered the cottage and said: "Good morning, Mr. Hobble. I am very sorry I had to turn your wife away without flour, but I really could not take your new money unless I knew you came by it honestly—though I know you never had the character for dishonesty." "I don't care what you or anybody else say. I sha'n't tell you where I got that. You may keep your flour," retorted Joe. "Now it's no use talking like that, Joe. Don't be so stubborn. Do you want us all to starve?" asked his wife. Joe replied: "I've not stolen that, and I'll starve afore I tell you all. If they won't take this money go you to my master and ax him for my week's wages." "That I will," says the wife. But Joe's master said when she named her errand: "I can't pay you. I must see your husband." Joe's wife returned fuming to the house and upbraided her husband, saying: "I don't know what that all means, but you had better go and see your master." Joe jumped up and went to his master, who said: "I've heard so much about you having so much new money—I should like to know where you get it. Has anybody left you a fortune?" "Sir," replied Joe, "I sha'n't tell you." "No—that's it. I hear you won't tell anybody, therefore I shall give you no wages and no more work." Joe thanked his master and walked home, and told his wife all that had happened. Being at her wit's end, she tried to pass some of the shillings at a new shop—but they had heard of it and would not accept it. Then the gentry in the village got wind of it, and came to Joe and threatened to send him to prison if he did not say where he got his new shillings. Joe held his peace for some days, and at last was so hard pressed that he said: "For my wife and children's sake I must tell you. I have found it every morning at the foot