Tom and Maggie Tulliver

"What I want, you know," said Mr. Tulliver of Dorlcote Mill-"what I want is to give Tom agood eddication.

That was what I was thinking of when I gave notice for him to leave th' academy atLady Day.

I meant to put him to a downright good school at Midsummer."The two years at th' academy 'ud ha' done well enough," the miller went on, "if I'd meant tomake a miller and farmer of him like myself.

But I should like Tom to be a bit of a scholard, so as hemight be up to the tricks o' these fellows as talk fine and write with a flourish.

It 'ud be a help to mewi' these lawsuits and things."Mr. Tulliver was speaking to his wife, a blond, comely woman in a fan-shaped cap."Well, Mr. Tulliver," said she, "you know best. But hadn't I better kill a couple o' fowl, and haveth' aunts and uncles to dinner next week, so as you may hear what Sister Glegg and Sister Pullet havegot to say about it?

There's a couple o' fowl wants killing!""You may kill every fowl i' the yard if you like, Bessy, but I shall ask neither aunt nor uncle whatI'm to do wi' my own lad," said Mr. Tulliver."Dear heart!" said Mrs. Tulliver, "how can you talk so, Mr. Tulliver? However, if Tom's to go toa new school, I should like him to go where I can wash him and mend him; else he might as wellhave calico as linen, for they'd be one as yallow as th' other before they'd been washed half a dozentimes. And then, when the box is goin' backards and forrards, I could send the lad a cake, or a porkpie, or an apple."