butcherhebringsusaletterfraGeorge，tosayhe’dheardonaplace——andIwasallagogtogo，andfatherwaspleasedlike；butmothersaidlittle，andthatlittlewasveryquiet。I’veoftenthoughtshewasabithurttoseemesoreadytogo——Godforgiveme!Butshepackedupmyclothes，andsomeo’thebetterendofherownaswouldfitme，inyonlittlepaperboxupthere——it’sgoodfornoughtnow，butIwouldlieferlivewithoutfirethanbreakituptobeburnt；andyetit’sgoingonforeightyyearsold，forshehaditwhenshewasagirl，andbroughtallherclothesinittofather’s，whentheyweremarried。But，asIwassaying，shedidnotcry，thoughthetearswasofteninhereyes；andIseenherlookingaftermedownthe1aneaslongasIwereinsight，withherhandshadinghereyes——andthatwerethelastlookIeverhadonher。“Aliceknewthatbeforelongsheshouldgotothatmother；and，besides，thegriefsandbitterwoesofyouthhavewornthemselvesoutbeforewegrowold；butshelookedsosorrowfulthatthegirlscaughthersadness，andmournedforthepoorwomanwhohadbeendeadandgonesomanyyearsago。“Didyouneverseeheragain，Alice？Didyounevergohomewhileshewasalive？“askedMary。“No，norsince。ManyatimeandofthaveIplannedtogo。Iplanityet，andhopetogohomeagainbeforeitpleaseGodtotakeme。IusedtotryandsavemoneyenoughtogoforaweekwhenIwasinservice；butfirstonethingcame，andthenanother。Firstmissis’schildrenfellillofthemeasles，justwhenth’weekI’daskedforcame，andIcouldn’tleavethem，foroneandallcriedformetonursethem。Thenmissisherselffellsick，andIcouldgolessthanever。For，yousee，theykeptalittleshop，andhedrank，andmissisandmewasalltherewastomindchildrenandshopandall，andcookandwashbesides。“Marywasgladshehadnotgoneintoservice，andsaidso。“Eh，lass!thoulittleknowsthepleasureo’helpingothers；Iwasashappythereascouldbe；almostashappyasIwasathome。Well，butnextyearIthoughtIcouldgoataleisuretime，andmissistelledmeIshouldhaveafortnightthen，andIusedtositupallthatwinterworkinghardatpatchwork，tohaveaquiltofmyownmakingtotaketomymother。Butmasterdied，andmissiswentawayfraManchester，andI’dtolookoutforaplaceagain。““Well，but，“interruptedMary，Ishouldhavethoughtthatwasthebesttimetogohome。““No，Ithoughtnot。Youseeitwasadifferentthinggoinghomeforaweekonavisit，maybewithmoneyinmypockettogivefatheralift，togoinghometobeaburdentohim。Besides，howcouldIhearo’aplacethere？
AnywaysIthoughtitbesttostay，thoughperhapsitmighthavebeenbettertoha’gone，forthenIshouldha’seenmotheragain；“andthepooroldwomanlookedpuzzled。“I’msureyoudidwhatyouthoughtright，“saidMargaretgently。“Aye，lass，that’sit，“saidAlice，raisingherheadandspeakingmorecheerfully。“That’sthething，andthenlettheLordsendwhatheseesfit；notbutthatIgrievedsore，oh，soreandsad，whentowardsspringnextyear，whenmyquiltwerealldonetoth’lining，Georgecameinoneeveningtotellmemotherwasdead。Icriedmanyanightatafter；I’dnotimeforcryingbyday，forthatmissiswasterriblestrict；shewouldnothearkentomygoingtoth’funeral；andindeedIwouldhavebeentoolate，forGeorgesetoffthatverynightbyth’coach，andth’letterhadbeenkeptorsummutpostswerenotliketh’postsnow-a-days，andhefoundtheburialallover，andfathertalkingo’flitting；forhecouldn’tabidethecottageaftermotherwasgone。“Wasitaprettyplace？“askedMary。“Pretty，lass!Ineverseedsuchabonnybitanywhere。Youseetherearehillsthereasseemtogoupintoth’skies，notnearmaybe，butthatmakesthemallthebonnier。Iusedtothinktheywerethegoldenhillsofheaven，aboutwhichmothersangwhenIwasachild：Yonarethegoldenhillso’heaven，Whereyesallneverwin。Somethingaboutashipandaloverthatshouldhaebeennalover，theballadwas。Well，andnearourcottagewererocks。Eh，lasses!yedon’tknowwhatrocksareinManchester!Greypieceso’stoneaslargeasahouse，allcoveredoverwi’mossesofdifferentcolours，someyellow，somebrown；
andthegroundbeneaththemknee-deepinpurpleheather，smellingsaesweetandfragrant，andthelowmusicofthehumming-beeforeversoundingamongit。MotherusedtosendSallyandmeouttogatherlingandheatherforbesoms，anditwassuchpleasantwork!Weusedtocomehomeofaneveningloadedsoasyoucouldnotseeus，forallthatitwassolighttocarry。
Andthenmotherwouldmakeussitdownundertheoldhawthorntreewhereweusedtomakeourhouseamongthegreatrootsasstoodaboveth’ground，topickandtieuptheheather。Itseemsalllikeyesterday，andetit’salonglongtimeagone。PoorsisterSallyhasbeeninhergravethisfortyyearandmore。ButIoftenwonderifthehawthornisstandingyet，andifthelassesstillgotogatherheather，aswedidmanyandmanyayearpastandgone。Isickenathearttoseetheoldspotonceagain。MaybenextsummerImaysetoff，ifGodsparesmetoseenextsummer。“Whyhaveyouneverbeeninallthesemanyyears？“askedMary。“Whylass!firstonewantedmeandthenanother；andIcouldn’tgowithoutmoneyeither，andIgotverypoorattimes。Tomwasascapegrace，poorfellow，andalwayswantedhelpofonekindoranother；andhiswifeforIthinkscapegracesarealwaysmarriedlongbeforesteadyfolkwasbutahelplesskindofbody。Shewerealwaysailing，andhewerealwaysintrouble；soIhadenoughtodowithmyhands，andmymoneytoo，forthatmatter。Theydiedwithintwelvemonthofeachother，leavingoneladtheyhadhadseven，buttheLordhadtakensixtohimself，Will，asIwastellingyouon；andItookhimmyself，andleftservicetomakeabitonahome-placeforhim，andafineladhewas，theveryspitofhisfatherastolooks，onlysteadier。Forhewassteady，althoughnoughtwouldservehimbutgoingtosea。ItriedallIcouldtosethimagainasailor’slife。SaysI，’Folksisassickasdogsallthetimethey’reatsea。Yourownmothertelledmeforshecamefromforeignparts，beingaManxwomanthatshe’dha’
thankedanyoneforthrowingherintothewater。’Nay，Isenthima’thewaytoRuncornbyth’Duke’scanal，thathemightknowwhatth’seawere；