Household words, No. 7, May 11, 1850 : $b A weekly journal
General
Household words, No. 7, May 11, 1850 : $b A weekly journal
English literature -- Periodicals
The events immediately following her death did not seem to bear out her
dying faith; for the two poor girls were obliged to give up their
cottage. There was a want of cottages. Not half of the workpeople could
be entertained in this village; they went to and fro for many miles.
Jane and Nancy were now obliged to do the same. Their cottage was wanted
for an overlooker,—and they removed to Tideswell, three miles off. They
had thus six miles a-day to walk, besides standing at their work; but
they were young, and had companions. In Tideswell they were more
cheerful. They had a snug little cottage; were near a Meeting; and found
friends. They did not complain. Here, again, Jane Dunster attracted
great attention, and a young, thriving grocer paid his addresses to her.
It was an offer that made Jane take time to reflect. Every one said it
was an opportunity not to be neglected: but Jane weighed in her mind,
‘Will he keep faith in my compact with Nancy?’ Though her admirer made
every vow on the subject, Jane paused and determined to take the opinion
of Nancy. Nancy thought for a day, and then said, ‘Dearest sister, I
don’t feel easy; I fear that from some cause it would not do in the
end.’
Jane from that moment gave up the idea of the connection. There might be
those who would suspect Nancy of a selfish bias in the advice she gave;
but Jane knew that no such feeling influenced her pure soul. For one
long year the two sisters traversed the hills between Cressbrook and
Tideswell. But they had companions, and it was pleasant in the summer
months. But winter came, and then it was a severe trial. To rise in the
dark, and traverse those wild and bleak hills; to go through snow and
drizzle, and face the sharpest winds in winter, was no trifling matter.
Before winter was over, the two young women began seriously to revolve
the chances of a nearer residence, or a change of employ. There were no
few who blamed Jane excessively for the folly of refusing the last good
offer. There were even more than one who, in the hearing of Nancy,
blamed her. Nancy was thoughtful, agitated, and wept. ‘If I can, dear
sister,’ she said, ‘have advised you to your injury, how shall I forgive
myself? What _shall_ become of me?’
But Jane clasped her sister to her heart, and said, ‘No! no! dearest
sister, you are not to blame. I feel you are right; let us wait, and we
shall see!’
THE USES OF SORROW.
Oh, grieve not for the early dead,
Whom God himself hath taken;
But deck with flowers each holy bed—
Nor deem thyself forsaken,
When, one by one, they fall away,
Who were to thee as summer day.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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