The True Life of Betty Ireland | Page 6

not help this contemptuous Treatment, as she had nothing she wanted at Home, by reason of her Laziness, though all Materials in abundance were at hand. 'Tis incredible to relate, but, at the Time I am speaking of, certain Fact, on her whole Estate there was not one to be found could make a Buckle for her Shoe, or a Pin to her Sleeve; a Pot, a Spit, or any Utensil to cook her Victuals, might as well be found among the Tartars as with her. She took every thing from her Sister at what Price she pleased, unsight unseen, and bought the Pig in the Poke. Necessity roused her from Stupidity and Sloth, she encouraged her Tenants to apply to Trades, assured them of a ready Market, and rewarded those that did their Work the best; and, at present, has every thing within herself. And tho' it must be owned a very unreasonable, and not to be endured Instance of her Impudence, she proposes to dress in her own Manufactures, and does not mean to trouble her Sister any longer for cast Cloaths and unmerchantable commodities. But in every other Respect, she desires to keep up a good Correspondence with her, and is daily doing every thing in her Power, to gain her Favour, and procure her Regards. Whatever she can spare from her ordinary Expences, she, in some Shape or other, makes a Present of to her Sister, in Acknowledgement for Services done, and Kindnesses receiv'd in her Minority. Has Blanch a Favourite whom she cannot readily provide for, a poor Relation on hand, or Retainer to the Family, a broken Projector, or cast Serving-man; she has no more to do but acquaint Betty with it, who quickly puts him on a creditable Pension, and never refuses, though she run herself in Debt by it. Is Blanch engaged in a Brangle with her Tenants, (who, by the way, are cursedly litigious) and hard put to it for Hands to do her Business, Betty makes an Offer of sending her People to help her, and maintaining them abroad at her own Charges. Does a Tenant of Blanch come to favour her with a Visit, she receives him with Hospitality and Respect, and would sacrifice her Fortune to make his Entertainment agreeable.
If all this Complaisance should fail of its Effect, and not so succeed as to keep Blanch in good Humour, 'tis easy to say where the Fault must lie, and from what Causes her Discontents arise.
In the first Place, it has ever been the Fate of her Domesticks to be invincibly hated by her Tenants without Difference or Distinction, (for, to say Truth, they have no Head for Distingo's:) There is but one Thing in the World they hate more, and that is Betty Ireland. Now, the Servants bear hard on Betty, to curry Favour with her Sister's Tenants, who would go half Way to the D----l to have Betty d----d, are for ever cursing her, and laying all their Misfortunes at her Door. If the Clothier loses his Business, or has his Goods on Hand, 'tis all 'long of Betty: Wheat bears no Price, for Betty has glutted the Market. Whereas, in Fact, they never keep the same Markets. But they forget, they are all so idle and debauched, such gobling and drinking Rascals, and so expensive in blew Beer, that they are forced to put a double Price on every thing goes to Market; so that no Body will deal with them. Indeed, if it incenses them, that Betty won't buy, burn her own Goods and take off theirs, they must e'en turn the Buckle behind. Blanch will be wiser, for her own sake, than lay Stresses on her Sister, from whom she gets more than by all the World beside, only to humour a Set of grumbling Churls, who don't know what they would be at; and so extremely senseless, that it's Matter of Wonder, their Oxen don't ride them to the Market, and sell them. 'Tis true, a Linen-weaver, one of Blanch's Tenants, prevailed on her lately to withdraw some Encouragement she had given Betty, and transfer it to a Stranger. But that was owing to bad Advice given her, by a Clerk she has since turned off, and sent a stroling among Brandy-shops and Ale-houses, to backbite his Lady for want of other Employment.
Another Cause of Blanch's Dislike to her Sister was, a Fright she took, when she was just delivered, at some ill-looking People, who came from Betty's Lands, and appeared under her Window. There's no doubt but Blanch has as much Courage as any genteel Lady ought to have, and must have been in a Fit of low Spirits when she, and all her Tenants from her, took so senseless an alarm,