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；
andIlookedtoseehimcomebackaswhiteasasheetwi’vomiting。ButtheladwentontoLiverpoolandsawrealships，andcamebackmoresetthaneveronbeingasailor，andhesaidashowhehadneverbeensickatall，andthoughthecouldstandtheseaprettywell。SoItoldhimhemundoasheliked；andhethankedmeandkissedme，forallIwasveryfrabbitwithhim；andnowhe’sgonetoSouthAmerica，att’othersideofthesun，theytellme。MarystoleaglanceatMargarettoseewhatshethoughtofAlice’sgeography；
butMargaretlookedsoquietanddemure，thatMarywasindoubtifshewerenotreallyignorant。NotthatMary’sknowledgewasveryprofound，butshehadseenaterrestrialglobe，andknewwheretofindFranceandthecontinentsonamap。AfterthislongtalkingAliceseemedlostforatimeinreverie；andthegirlsrespectingherthoughts，whichtheysuspectedhadwanderedtothehomeandscenesofherchildhood，weresilent。Allatoncesherecalledherdutiesashostess，andbyaneffortbroughtbackhermindtothepresenttime。“Margaret，thoumustletMaryheartheesing。Idon’tknowaboutfinemusicmyself，butfolkssayMargetisararesinger，andIknowshecanmakemecryatanytimebysinging’Th’OwdhamWeaver。’Dosingthat，Marget，there’sagoodlass。“Withafaintsmile，asifamusedatAlice’schoiceofasong，Margaretbegan。Doyouknow“TheOldhamWeaver“？NotunlessyouareLancashirebornandbred，foritisacompleteLancashireditty。Iwillcopyitforyou。THEOLDHAMWEAVERIOi’mapoorcotton-weyver，asmonyaoneknoowas，Oi’venowtfort’yeat，an’oi’veworneawtmyclooas，Yo’adhardlygi’tuppenceforawasoi’veon，Myclogsarebothbrosten，an’stuckinsoi’venone，Yo’dthinkitwurhard，Tobebrowtintoth’warld，Tobe——clemmed，an’doth’bestasyoucon。IIOwdDickyo’Billy’skepttellingmelung，Wees’dha’bettertoimesifI’dbuthowdmytung，Oi’vehowdenmytung，tilloi’venearstoppedmybreathOithinki’myheeartoi’sesoonclemtodeeath，OwdDicky’sweelcrammed，Heneverwurclemmed，An’hene’erpickedoweri’hisloife。IIIWetow’rtonsixweek——thinkingaitchdaywurth’last，Weshifted，an’shifted，tillneawwe’requoitefast；Welivedupo’nettles，whoilenettleswurgood，An’Waterlooporridgethebesto’eawrfood，Oi’mtellin’yo’true，Oicanfindfolkenow，Aswurlivin’nabetternorme。IVOwdBillyo’Danssentth’baileysoneday，Furashopdeebtoieawedhim，asoicouldnapay，Buthewurtoolat，furowdBillyo’th’Bent，Hadsowdth’titan’cart，an’ta’engoodsforth’rent，We’dneawtleftbo’th’owdstoo’，Thatwurseeatsfurtwo，An’onitceawredMargetan’me。VThent’baileysleukedreawndassloyasameawse，Whentheyseedasawt’goodswereta’eneawto’t’heawse，Saysonechaptoth’tother，“Awsgone，theawmaysee，Saysoi，“Ne’erfreet，mon，yeaurwelcometa’me。“TheymadenomooradoButwhoppedupth’eawdstoo’，An’webooathleet，whack——upo’t’flags!VIThenoisaidtoeawrMarget，aswelayupo’t’floor，“We’sneverbeloweri’thiswarld，o’imsure，Ifeverthingsawtern，oi’msuretheymunmend，Foroithinki’myheartwe’rebooathatt’fareend；Formeeatweha’none，Norloomst’weyveon，——Edad!they’reasgoodlostasfund。“VIIEawrMargetdeclareshadhooclooastoputon，Hoo’dgoouptoLunnonan’talktoth’greetmon；An’ifthingswerenaawteredwhentherehoohadbeen，Hoo’sfullyresolvedt’sewupmeawthan’eend；Hoo’sneawttosayagaint’king，Buthooloikesafairthing，An’hoosayshoocantellwhenhoo’shurt。Theairtowhichthisissungisakindofdroningrecitative，dependingmuchonexpressionandfeeling。Toreadit，itmay，perhaps，seemhumorous；
butitisthathumourwhichisnearakintopathos，andtothosewhohaveseenthedistressitdescribesitisapowerfullypatheticsong。Margarethadbothwitnessedthedestitution，andhadthehearttofeelit，andwithal，hervoicewasofthatrichandrareorder，whichdoesnotrequireanygreatcompassofnotestomakeitselfappreciated。Alicehadherquietenjoymentoftears。ButMargaret，withfixedeye，andearnest，dreamylook，seemedtobecomemoreandmoreabsorbedinrealisingtoherselfthewoeshehadbeendescribing，andwhichshefeltmightatthatverymomentbesufferingandhopelesswithinashortdistanceoftheircomparativecomfort。Suddenlysheburstforthwithallthepowerofhermagnificentvoice，asifaprayerfromherveryheartforallwhowereindistress，inthegrandsupplication，“LordrememberDavid。“Maryheldherbreath，unwillingtoloseanote，itwassoclear，soperfect，soimploring。AfarmorecorrectmusicianthanMarymighthavepausedwithequaladmirationofthereallyscientificknowledgewithwhichthepoordepressed-lookingyoungneedlewomanusedhersuperbandflexilevoice。DeborahTraversherselfonceanOldhamfactorygirl，andafterwardsthedarlingoffashionablecrowdsasMrsKnyvett
mighthaveownedasisterinherart。Shestopped；andwithtearsofholysympathyinhereyes，Alicethankedthesongstress，whoresumedhercalm，demuremanner，muchtoMary’swonder，forshelookedatherunweariedly，asifsurprisedthatthehiddenpowershouldnotbeperceivedintheoutwardappearance。WhenAlice’slittlespeechofthankswasover，therewasquietenoughtohearafine，thoughratherquavering，malevoice，goingoveragainoneortwostrainsofMargaret’ssong。“That’sgrandfather!“exclaimedshe。“Imustbegoing，forhesaidheshouldnotbeathometillpastnine。““Well，I’llnotsaynay，forIhavetobeupbyfourforaveryheavywashatMrsSimpson’s；butIshallbeterriblegladtoseeyouagainatanytime，lasses；andIhopeyou’lltaketooneanother。“Asthegirlsranupthecellarstepstogether，Margaretsaid：“Juststepin，andseegrandfather。Ishouldlikehimtoseeyou。“AndMaryconsented。
Learnedhewas；norbird，norinsectflew，Butheitsleafyhomeandhistoryknew：Norwild-flowerdeckedtherock，normossthewell，Butheitsnameandqualitiescouldtell。ELLIOTT。ThereisaclassofmeninManchester，unknowneventomanyoftheinhabitants，andwhoseexistencewillprobablybedoubtedbymany，whoyetmayclaimkindredwithallthenoblenamesthatsciencerecognises。Isaidin“Manchester，“
buttheyarescatteredalloverthemanufacturingdistrictsofLancashire。
IntheneighbourhoodofOldhamthereareweavers，commonhand-loomweavers，whothrowtheshuttlewithunceasingsound，thoughNewton’s“Principia“
liesopenontheloom，tobesnatchedatinworkhours，butrevelledoverinmealtimes，oratnight。Mathematicalproblemsarereceivedwithinterest，andstudiedwithabsorbingattentionbymanyabroad-spoken，common-lookingfactory-hand。Itisperhapslessastonishingthatthemorepopularlyinterestingbranchesofnaturalhistoryhavetheirwarmanddevotedfollowersamongthisclass。Therearebotanistsamongthem，equallyfamiliarwitheithertheLinnaeanortheNaturalsystem，whoknowthenameandhabitatofeveryplantwithinaday’swalkfromtheirdwellings；whostealtheholidayofadayortwowhenanyparticularplantshouldbeinflower，andtyinguptheirsimplefoodintheirpocket-handkerchiefs，setoffwithsinglepurposetofetchhomethehumble-lookingweed。Thereareentomologists，whomaybeseenwitharude-lookingnet，readytocatchanywingedinsect，orakindofdredge，withwhichtheyrakethegreenandslimypools；practical，shrewd，hard-workingmen，whoporeovereverynewspecimenwithrealscientificdelight。NorisitthecommonandmoreobviousdivisionsofEntomologyandBotanythataloneattracttheseearnestseekersafterknowledge。Perhapsitmaybeowingtothegreatannualtown-holidayofWhitsun-weeksooftenfallinginMayorJune，thatthetwogreatbeautifulfamiliesofEphemeridaeandPhryganidaehavebeensomuchandsocloselystudiedbyManchesterworkmen，whiletheyhaveinagreatmeasureescapedgeneralobservation。