North and South

es whom shaking

E HER

o the centre of the dusky room, from which, with country habits, they did not exclude the night-skies, and the outer darkness of air. Somehow, that room contrasted itself with the one he had lately left; handsome, ponderous, with no sign of feminine habitation, except in the one spot where his mother sate, and no convenience for any other employment than eating and drinking. To be sure, it was a dining-room; his mother preferred to sit in it; and her will was a household law. But the drawing-room was not like this. It was twice - twenty times as fine; not one quarter as comfortable. Here were no mirrors, not even a scrap of glass to reflect the light, and answer the same purpose as water in a

ned her soft flesh; and then to mark the loosening - the fall. He could almost have exclaimed -'There it goes, again!' There was so little left to be done after he arrived at the preparation for tea, that he was almost sorry the obligation of eating and drinking came so soon to prevent his watching Margaret. She handed him his cup of tea with the proud air of an unwilling slave; but her eye caught the moment when he was ready for another cup; and he almost longed to ask her to do for him what he saw her compelled to do for her father, who took her little finger and thumb in his masculine hand, and made them serve as sugar-tongs. Mr. Thornton saw her beautiful eyes lifted to h

ling movement passing over them, showing every fluctuating emotion; the eyelids were large and arched, giving to the eyes a peculiar languid beauty which was almost feminine. The brows were finely arched, but were, by the very size of the dreamy lids, raised to a considerable distance from the eyes. Now, in Mr. Thornton's face the straight brows fell low over the clear, deep-set earnest eyes, which, without being unpleasantly sharp, seemed intent enough to penetrate into the very heart and core of what he was looking at. The lines in the face were few but firm, as if they were carved in marble, and lay principally about the lips, which were slightly compresse

laining to Mr. Hale the magnificent power, yet delicate adjustment of the might of the steam-hammer, which was recalling to Mr. Hale some of the wonderful stories of subservient genii in the A

as it within him to mount, step by step, on each wonder he achieves to higher marvels still. And I'll be bound to say, we have many among us wh

s -"I've a hundred captains in England

up, with inquiring wonder in her eyes. How in the

ecessities of which give birth to such grandeur of conception. I would rather be a man toiling, suffering - nay, failing and successless - here, than lead a dull prosperous life in

t not say less excitement - from the gambling spirit of trade, which seems requisite to force out these wonderful inventions, there is less suffering also. I see men h ere going about in the streets who look ground down by some pinching sorrow or care - who are not only sufferers but haters

he had really hurt her. She continued resolutely silent; yearning after the lovely haunts she had left far away

will allow that Milton is a much more smoky, dir

k gleaming smile. 'But we are bidden by parliament to burn our own smoke; so

red your chimneys so as to consume th

ssed. At any rate, I should have waited to be informed against and fined, and given all the trouble in yielding that I legally could. But all laws which depend for their enforcement upon informers and fines, become inert from

ad them up for a month or more, and they have not looked dirty at the end of that time. And as for hands - Margaret

, ma

arliament and all legislation affecting your mode

ng to the motherwit, as regarded opportunities and probabilities, which distinguished some, and made them far-seeing as to what great future lay concealed in that rude model of Sir Richard Arkwright's. The rapid development of what might be called a new trade, gave those early masters enormous power of wealth and command. I don't mean merely over the workmen; I mean over purchasers - over the whole world's market. Why, I may give you, as an instance

as compelled to listen; she could no lon

ange tales of the wild extravagance of living indulged in on gala-days by those early cotton-lords. There can be no doubt, too, of the tyranny they exercised over their work-people. You know the proverb, Mr. Hale, "Set a beggar on horseback, and he'll ride to the devil,"- well, some of these early manufacturers did ride to the devil in a magnificent style - crushing human bone and flesh under their horses' hoofs without remorse. Bu

es?' asked Mr. Hale. 'I know, from your using the term, it is one

es of our system, that a working-man may raise himself into the power and position of a master by his own exertions and behaviour; that, in fact, every one who rules himself to decency and sobriety

n the world, from whatever cause, as your enemies, then, if I

id; and, be she as scornful as she liked, it was a duty he owed to himself to explain, as truly as he could, what he did mean. Yet it was very difficult to separate her interpretation, and keep it distinct from his meaning. He could best have illustrated what he wanted to say by tel

r income came to fifteen shillings, out of which three people had to be kept. My mother managed so that I put by three out of these fifteen shillings regularly. This made the beginning; this taught me self-denial. Now that I am able to afford my mother such comforts as her age, rather than her own wish, requires, I thank her silently on each occasion for the early training she gave me. Now when I feel that in my own case it is no good luck, nor merit, nor talent - but simpl

zest with which you are now reading Homer, shows me that you do not come to it as

reek have slipt away from me since. But I ask you, what preparation they were for such a life as I had to lead? None at all. Utterly none at all

somewhat of a pedant. Did not the recollection of th

sing alongside of me, neck to neck, in the struggle for bread. Now that I have my mother safe in the quiet peace that

professional feeling of there being n

r custom of the place; but Margaret was not prepared for it. She simply bowed her farewell; although the instant she saw the hand, half put out, quickly drawn back, she was sorry

Even her great beauty is blotted out of one'