Pearl-Fishing; Choice Stories from Dickens' Household Words; First SeriesDickens, Charles
General
Pearl-Fishing; Choice Stories from Dickens' Household Words; First Series
Dickens, Charles
English fiction -- 19th century; Short stories, English
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 working people
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!”
III.--THE COURTSHIP AND ANOTHER SHIP.
One evening, as the two sisters were hastening along the road through
the woods on their way homewards, a young farmer drove up in his
spring-cart, cast a look at them, stopped, and said: “Young women, if
you are going my way, I shall be glad of your company. You are quite
welcome to ride.”
The sisters looked at each other. “Dunna be afreed,” said the young
farmer; “my name’s James Cheshire. I’m well known in these parts; you
may trust yersens wi’ me, if it’s agreeable.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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