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The landlord replied, that he had ſeveral in his houſe at that time who had no employment. It was then no more than eleven o'clock in the forenoon, and Mr. Andrews thought it had a very bad appearance for men to be at a public houſe at that early hour.
What he ſaid to the landlord was overheard by Timothy Sparks, who cried out, Sober men! What do you mean by that? here are ſober men enow in the village to work for twenty ſquires : then ſtaggering up to Mr. Andrews, and rudely ſeizing him by the coat, he ſaid, Come along Squire, and ſee a ſet of ſober fellows fit to work for a Lord. Mr. Andrews wiſhed much to have ſome converſation with these men, and with this view followed Timothy Sparks into the kitchen, where this drunken fellow flung himſelf into a chair, and ſoon fell aſleep; the reſt of the men were ſober, and made many excuſes to Mr, Andrews for the rudeneſs of their companion, and all declared their readineſs to go to work if they could get any to do. Mr. Andrews ſaid, that if there were any unemployed from that day for months to come, it would be their own fault; but from finding them in that place, and in a morning too, he was fearful their families would not be much the better for their earnings : and added, that he ſhould make it his buſiness to inquire who were the beſt huſbands, and diſtinguiſh them by ſome rewards.
