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"I won't do it," she said, "I'll go to chokey first " "Look here, marm," said George, in a persuasive voice, and pushing the brandy bottle towards her, "where's the need for you to go to the workhus or to chokey either you with a rich husband as is bound by law to support you as becomes a lady?
"Lord bless you, yes! and a very good husband I had, poor man! But he's dead these many years; and if you had not taken me, I must have gone to the workhus." "He is dead! Wasn't it very hard to live after that, Sarah?" "The Lord strengthens the hearts of widders!" observed Sarah, sanctimoniously. "Did you marry your brother, Sarah?" said Fanny, playing with the corner of her apron.
It was a pitiful letter telling of poverty bitter and grinding, but redeemed from utter misery by a love and faith that shone from every line: My dearest polly i am glad you like your plice and your misses is so kind as wot you si, yur letters are my kumfit di an nit. bill is a ard man and says hif the money don't cum i will ave to go to the workus. but i no you will send it der polly so hi can old my little plice hi got a start todi a hoffcer past hi that it wos the workhus hoffcer. bill ses he told im to cum hif hi cant pi by septmbr but hi am trustin God der polly e asn't forgot us. hi 'm glad the poppies grew. ere's a disy hi am sendin yu hi can mike the butonoles yet. hi do sum hevry di mrs purdy gave me fourpence one di for sum i mide for her hi ad a cup of tee that di. hi am appy thinkin of yu der polly.
"No, marm and when one hev wanted to help a friend too. Well, if you think that and no doubt misfortune hev made you doubtful-like the best I can do is to bid you good-day, and to wish you well out of your troubles, workhus and all, marm, which I do according," and he rose from his box with much dignity, politely bowed to the hag on the mattress, and then turning walked towards the door.
"Lord bless you, yes! and a very good husband I had, poor man! But he's dead these many years; and if you had not taken me, I must have gone to the workhus." "He is dead! Wasn't it very hard to live after that, Sarah?" "The Lord strengthens the hearts of widders!" observed Sarah, sanctimoniously. "Did you marry your brother, Sarah?" said Fanny, playing with the corner of her apron.
"Gad, we both look starved!" he guffawed. "To 'ear us, you'd think we was booked for the workhus or till you ran a tape round the contoor, eh?" But Coke was not to be cheered. "I can see as far into a stone wall as 'ere a one an' there a one," he said, "an' there's no use blinkin' the fax. The Andromeda was a good ship in 'er day, but that day is gone.
"A man what's attended a Duke's 'osses ever since he was a shaver, to be put aside for that workhus blackguard! A 'oss had a cold it's Rake what's to cure him. A 'oss is entered for a race it's Rake what's to order his morning gallops, and his go-downs o' water.
Laryer Quest kill you, and he the biggest coward in Boisingham; but there it is. This is a world of wrong, as the parson says, and the poor shorn lambs must jamb their tails down and turn their backs to the wind, and so must you, marm. So it's the workhus you'll be in to-morrow.
He's a clever workman, an' taught thee thy trade, remember, an's niver gen me a blow nor so much as an ill word no, not even in 's drink. Thee wouldstna ha' 'm go to the workhus thy own feyther an' him as was a fine-growed man an' handy at everythin' amost as thee art thysen, five-an'-twenty 'ear ago, when thee wast a baby at the breast."
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