Mary Barton

th them, they h

ir fond hopes an

eem to thee wild

rough school of

learned which Theo

atly err, deal

error but the

ght and guidanc

Tho

y suit of course; while his face glittered with the scrubbing he had bestowed on it. His dark black hair had been arranged and re-arranged before the household looking-glass, and

might see the passers-by, in the intervals of reading her Bible, which lay open before her. So she watched all the greeting a friend gave Jem; she saw the face of condolence, the sympathetic shake of the hand, and had time to a

djusting her dress; a forced and unnecessary movement Jem could not help thinking. Her accost was quiet and friendly, if grave; she fel

nt up-stairs to her little room. And she had scarcely spoken a word to Jem; scarcely looked at him; never noticed his beautiful sweet Nancy, which only awaited her least word of praise to be hers! He did not know-that pang was spared-that in her little dingy bed-room, stood a white

ere 'Star,' and no mistake. Such a

te of wages as

masters' pocket what they can well afford. Did I ever tell

d Jem, li

we'll take care yo've your belly full o' meat and drink. Yo'll be twice as strong in a week.' So there wanted but one word to that bargain. So I were set to writing and copying; th' writing I could do well enough, but they'd such queer ways o' spelling that I'd ne'er been used to, that I'd to look first at th' copy and then at my letters, for all the world like a cock picking up gra

note

cwic. "The quick and the d

et

note

er goth this noble king."

et

he pause made him aware he ought to utt

y tr

ock-printers is going to strike; they'n getten a bang-up union, as won't let 'em be put upon. But th

xpress the curiosity he should have done. So J

as much to bear as human nature can bear. So, if th' masters can'

thing would be, to be alone to think of her. So, muttering something which he meant to serve as an excuse for

rivation. The indigence and sufferings of the operatives induced a suspicion in the minds of many of them, that their legislators, their magistrates, their employers, and even the ministers of religion, were, in general, their oppressors and enemies; and were in league for their prostration and enthralment. The most deplorable and enduring evil that arose out of the period of commercial depression to which I refer, was this feeling of alienation between the different classes of society. It is so impossible to describe, or even faintly to picture, the state of distress which prevailed in the town at that time, that I will not attempt it; and yet I think again that surely, in a Christian land, it was not known even so feebly as words could tell it, or the more happy and fortunate would have thronged with their sympathy and their aid. In many instances the sufferers wept first, and then they cursed. Their vindictive feelings exhibited themselves in rabid politics. And when I hear, as I have heard, of the

arily assume the office of legislators for a nation, ignorant of its real state; as who should make domestic rules for the pretty behaviour of children, without caring to know that those children had been kept for days without food. Besides, the starving multitudes had heard, that the very

ution of the manufacturing districts. Nottingham, Sheffield, Glasgow, Manchester, and many other towns, were busy appointing delegates to convey this petition, who migh

o many grand folk-that went a little further; and last, there was the really pure gladness of heart, arising from the idea that he was one of those chosen to be instruments in making known the distresses of the people, and consequently in procuring them some grand r

g away, and imagining himself of use in adjusting the smoothing-irons that hung before the fire, ready for Mary when she should want them. As for Mary, her employment was the same as that of Beau Tibbs' wife, "just washing her father's two shirts," in the pantry bac

bound for London,

" answered John, yieldin

hn, I hope. Tell 'em our minds; how we're thinking we've been clemmed long enough, and we donnot see wh

o it, when it gets to my turn; but thou know

'em to make th' masters break th' machines. There's

n of poor folk," chi

ld like thee to tell 'em to pass th' Short-hours Bill. Flesh and blood gets wearied wi' so much work

kind to; she looked half-fed, and eager, but was decently clad. In her hand she brought a little newspaper par

. Davenport has brought you this; made new cut, all

all I can do, to what he's done for me and mine? But, Mary

se out, and then I'll t

istener to the conversation;

porridge seems to go no way wi' him, he eats so much; and I han gotten no money to send him t' school, as I would like; and there he is, rampaging about th' streets a' day, getting hungrier and hungrier, and picking up a' manner o' bad ways

note

of "ricketling," a child that suf

et

wood's family; and when we were little ones, she'd tell us stories of their grandeur; and one thing she named were, that Sir Francis wore two shirts a day. Now he were all as one as a Parliament man; and many on 'em, I han no doub

g the pipe out of his mouth, and ad

ne shirt i' th' world; ay, and don't know where t' get another when that rag's done, though they're turning out miles o' calico every day; and many a mile o't is lying in warehouses, stopping up trade for w

again, and redoubled his puff

'em, or a bit o' food for th' mother; when they hear of folk lying down to die i' th' streets, or hiding their want i' some hole o' a cellar till death come to set 'em free; and when they hear o' all this plague, pestilence, and famine, they'

cheery; and then one by one dropped of

ound up their hard day's work by a supper eaten over the fire, which

htly held up her head since the twins died; an

I mind her looking as fresh and likel

cident,

able to go about again, was th' Oud Church; poor wench, all pale and limping she went up the aisle, George holding her up as tender as a mother, and walking as slow as e'er he could, not to hurry her, though there were plenty enow of rude lads to cast their jests at him and her. Her face

note

ed," c

et

ys of the morning sun, and then she turned into the house to arrange its disorder before going to her work. She wondered if she should like or dislike the evening and morning solitude; for several hours when the clock struck she though

ent that it was wrong to meet him at any time; and yet she had brought herself to think her conduct quite innocent and proper, for although unknown to her father, and certain, even did he know it, to fail of obtaining his sanction

carry letters and messages, and to plead his cause when he was absent. In a girl named Sally Leadbitter he had found a willing advocate. She would have been willing to have embarked in a love-affai

called piquancy. Considerations of modesty or propriety never checked her utterance of a good thing. She had just talent enough to corrupt others. Her very good-nature was an evil influence. They could not hate one who was so kind; they could not avoid one who was so willing to shield them from scrapes by any exertion of her own; whose ready fingers would at any time make up for their deficiencies, and whose still more convenient tongue would at any time invent fo

y was often woefully tired, never flagged, but were ready to recount the events of the day, to turn them into ridicule, and to mimic, with admirable fidelity, any person gifted with an absurdity who had fallen under her keen eye

arry Carson liked this resolution of Mary,

d with a letter for Mary, imploring her to see him, which Sally was to back with all her powers of persuasion. After pa

of death, as the children of the rich are, yet it had so often been brought home to her this last three or four months. It was so terrible thus to see friend after friend depart. Her father, too, who had dreaded Jane Wils

to give; for she had resolved to avoid Jem; and she felt that this of all ot

he last person she wished to see. However, she ros

how you're fretting for him; it's no more

aid Mary, with a tos

ur work; now arn't you a little goose not to go and see one who I am sure loves you as his life, a

outing; "I often think I

hat, am I, next time I

sure I don't care for that or an

k, and that Mary's heart was too full to value either message or letter as she ought. So she wi

tting you so? You know I neve

d Mary, fixing her eyes for one minute on Sally, and th

le says. Still he was an old man, and not good for much; there's better fol

arply; for she did know, and did not like

Alice Wilson alive, then; will that please

ister, who was sadly cast down, and Alice thought she could cheer her up; at any rate she could li

for her, and I'd no fancy for her ma

hodee, she was Ch

You know what I meant. Look, who is this le

on't care," said Mar

idn't know you did

atiently, and anxious in her prese

asure of seeing Mary dimple and blush as she read the letter

raising her eyes at last. "I have said I won'

put out about not seeing you. Besides you go when your father's at home,

note

on, one meaning of "l?tan" was "to ad

et

know my answer, I

some evening, instead o' sending me; he'd

flash

way, I'll call the neighbours in to turn h

t girl that ever had a lover; have you never he

t's Margaret Jenn

to let her come and sleep with her. In the uncertain fire-light you c

y," said Sally. "And

e door gladly on her unwelcome visi

heard this sad news

sudden death so bad a thing; it's easy, and there's no terrors for him as dies. Fo

her friend, "thou'rt very blind to-night, arn't thou

g for sorrow. Han ye hear

whe

golden sovereign. Mary opened her

sore throat and couldn't make a note. So they sent for me. Jacob Butterworth had said a good word for me, and they asked me would I sing? You may think I was frightened, but

d Mary. "Oh, why didn't you com

ed, as I stood as right afore 'em all as if I'd been going to play at ball wi' 'em. You may guess I felt squeamish, but mine weren't the first song, and th' music sounded like a friend's voice, telling me to take courage. So to make a long story short, when it were all o'er th' lecturer thanked me, and th' managers said as how there nev

t, I'm right g

e, though it did please God to make me blind, I thought I'd tell grandfather. I only telled him about the singing and

did he

ny words; and it took

noticed it in your ways

u'd seen me every day, you'd not ha' noticed

t did your gra

ut it; how I'd feared, and how downcast I'd been; and how I were now reconciled to it, if it were th' Lord's will; and how I hoped to earn money by singing; and while I were talking, I saw great big tears come dropping on th' book; but in course I never let on that I saw 'em. Dear gra

spite of her cheerfu

th the tact which true sympathy rarely fails to supply, to ask a variety of questions respecting

famous, may be, as that grand lady fra' London, as we seed on

lift now an' then when that comes about. Nay, who knows, if thou'rt a good girl, but mayhappen I may make

ll walk in

er hae t

a bit more new, for somehow I never quite li

disappoint him, he were so nice and encouraging like to me. Eh! Mary, what a pity there isn't more o' that way, and less scolding and rating i' th' world! It would go a vast deal further. Beside, some o' th' singers said they were a'most certain it were a song o' h

ingle wor

the heart-st

orth fond

und hope's

ll in one

ngle word

must be very sad like. I feel as if

ingle wor

fe seem a

joy and

ot one ch

very flower

ngle word

n it reet [27] fine!" And if she only sang it at the Mechanics' with half the feeling she put into it that night

note

t; often use

et

f it; and partly to keep in a tear which would fain have rolled out, she brightened int