Sheknewhoweachtenantofthecottagespaidorowedhislittlerent。ShesteppedasidewhenMrs。
Rougemonttheactresspassedwithherdubiousfamily。SheflungupherheadwhenMrs。Pestler，theapothecary’slady，drovebyinherhusband’sprofessionalone-horsechaise。ShehadcolloquieswiththegreengroceraboutthepennorthofturnipswhichMr。Sedleyloved；shekeptaneyeuponthemilkmanandthebaker’sboy；andmadevisitationstothebutcher，whosoldhundredsofoxenverylikelywithlessadothanwasmadeaboutMrs。Sedley’sloinofmutton：andshecountedthepotatoesunderthejointonSundays，onwhichdays，dressedinherbest，shewenttochurchtwiceandreadBlair’sSermonsintheevening。
Onthatday，for“business“preventedhimonweekdaysfromtakingsuchapleasure，itwasoldSedley’sdelighttotakeouthislittlegrandsonGeorgytotheneighbouringparksorKensingtonGardens，toseethesoldiersortofeedtheducks。Georgylovedtheredcoats，andhisgrandpapatoldhimhowhisfatherhadbeenafamoussoldier，andintroducedhimtomanysergeantsandotherswithWaterloomedalsontheirbreasts，towhomtheoldgrandfatherpompouslypresentedthechildasthesonofCaptainOsborneofthe——th，whodiedgloriouslyonthegloriouseighteenth。Hehasbeenknowntotreatsomeofthesenon-commissionedgentlementoaglassofporter，and，indeed，intheirfirstSundaywalkswasdisposedtospoillittleGeorgy，sadlygorgingtheboywithapplesandparliament，tothedetrimentofhishealth——
untilAmeliadeclaredthatGeorgeshouldnevergooutwithhisgrandpapaunlessthelatterpromisedsolemnly，andonhishonour，nottogivethechildanycakes，lollipops，orstallproducewhatever。
BetweenMrs。Sedleyandherdaughtertherewasasortofcoolnessaboutthisboy，andasecretjealousy——foroneeveninginGeorge’sveryearlydays，Amelia，whohadbeenseatedatworkintheirlittleparlourscarcelyremarkingthattheoldladyhadquittedtheroom，ranupstairsinstinctivelytothenurseryatthecriesofthechild，whohadbeenasleepuntilthatmoment——andtherefoundMrs。SedleyintheactofsurreptitiouslyadministeringDaffy’sElixirtotheinfant。Amelia，thegentlestandsweetestofeverydaymortals，whenshefoundthismeddlingwithhermaternalauthority，thrilledandtrembledalloverwithanger。Hercheeks，ordinarilypale，nowflushedup，untiltheywereasredastheyusedtobewhenshewasachildoftwelveyearsold。Sheseizedthebabyoutofhermother’sarmsandthengraspedatthebottle，leavingtheoldladygapingather，furious，andholdingtheguiltytea-spoon。