  ‘Tis
a brief tale, and quickly told.  Others of us have fared less hardly.
Stand forth, Yokel, Burns, and Hodge--show your adornments!”

These stood up and stripped away some of their rags, exposing their
backs, criss-crossed with ropy old welts left by the lash; one turned
up his hair and showed the place where a left ear had once been; another
showed a brand upon his shoulder--the letter V--and a mutilated ear; the
third said--

“I am Yokel, once a farmer and prosperous, with loving wife and
kids--now am I somewhat different in estate and calling; and the wife
and kids are gone; mayhap they are in heaven, mayhap in--in the other
place--but the kindly God be thanked, they bide no more in _England_!
 My good old blameless mother strove to earn bread by nursing the sick;
one of these died, the doctors knew not how, so my mother was burnt for
a witch, whilst my babes looked on and wailed.