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Speaker 1: Christmas Storms and Sunshine by Elizabeth Gaskell. In the town

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of no matter Where, there circulated two local newspapers, No

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Matter When now. The Flying Post was long established and

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respectable alias bigoted and Tory. The Examiner was spirited and

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intelligent alias new fangled and democratic. Every week these newspapers

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contained articles abusing each other, as cross and peppery as

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articles could be, and evidently the production of irritated minds,

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although they seemed to have one stereotyped commencement. Though the

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article appearing in last week's Post or Examiner is below contempt,

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yet we have been induced, et cetera, et cetera. And

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every Saturday the radical sh shopkeepers shook hands together and

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agreed that the Post was done for by the slashing,

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clever Examiner, while the more dignified Torries begun by regretting

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that Johnson should think that low paper only read by

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a few, with the vulgar Worth wasting his wit upon. However,

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the Examiner was at its last gasp. It was not,

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though it lived and flourished, at least paid its way.

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As one of the heroes of my story could tell,

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he was chief compositor or whatever title may be, given

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to the headman of the mechanical part of a newspaper,

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he hardly confined himself to that department. Once or twice,

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unknown to the editor. When the manuscript had fallen short,

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he had filled up the vacant space by compositions of

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his own announcements of a forthcoming drop, a green peas

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in December, a gray thrush having been seen, or a

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white hair, or such interesting phenomena invented for the occasion,

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I must confess. But what of that his wife always

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knew when to expect a little specimen of her husband's

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literary talent by a peculiar cough which served as prelude,

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And judging from this encouraging sign and the high pitched

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and emphatic voice in which he read them, she was

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inclined to think that an ode to an early rosebud

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in the corner devoted to original poetry, and a letter

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in the correspondence department sign pro bono publico were her

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husband's writing, and to hold up her head accordingly. I

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could never find out what it was that occasioned the

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Hodgsons to lodge in the same house as the Jenkinses.

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Jenkins held the same office in the Tory paper, as

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Hodgson did in the Examiner, and as I said before

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I leave you to give it a name. But Jenkins

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had a proper sense of his position, and a proper

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reverence for all his authority, from the King down to

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the editor and the sub editor. He would as soon

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have thought of borrowing the King's crown for a nightcap,

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or the King's skepta for a walking stick, as he

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would have thought of filling up in his space corner

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with any production of his own. And I think it

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would have even added to his contempt of Hodgin's, if

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that were possible, had he known of the productions of

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his brain. As the latter finally alluded to the paragraphs

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he inserted when speaking to his wife, Jenkins had his

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wife too. Wives were wanting to finish the completeness of

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the quarrel which existed one memorable Christmas week some dozen

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years ago between the two neighbors, the two compositors, and

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with wives. It was a very pretty, a very complete

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quarrel to make the opposing parties still more equal, still

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more well matched. If the Hodgsons had a baby, such

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a baby, a poor, puny little thing, missus Jenkins had

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a cat, such a cat, a great nasty, mowling tom

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cat that was always stealing the milk put by for

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little angels supper. And now having matched Greek with Greek,

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I must proceed to the target war. It was the

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day before Christmas, such a cold east wind, such an

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inky sky, such a blue black look in people's faces

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as they were driven out more than usual to complete

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their purchases for the next day's festival. Before leaving home

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that morning, Jenkins had given some money to his wife

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to buy the next day's dinner. My dear, I wish

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for turkey and sausages. It may be a weakness, but

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I own I am partial to sausages. My deceased mother was.

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Such tastes are hereditary as to sweets, whether plum pudding

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or mince pies. I leave such considerations to you. I

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only beg you not to mind expense. Christmas comes. But

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once a year and again he had called out from

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the bottom of the first flight of stairs, just close

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to the Hodgeson's door, such ostentatiousness, as Missus Hodgeson's observed,

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you will not forget the sausages, My dear, I should

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have liked to have had something above common, Mary said

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Hodgson's as they two made their plans for the next day.

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But I think roast beef must do for us. You see, Love,

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we've a family, only one, jem. I don't want more

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than roast beef, though I'm sure before I went to service,

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mother and me would have thought roast beef a very

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fine dinner. Well, let's settle it then, roast beef and

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a plum pudding. And now goodbye, mind, and take care

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of little Tom. I thought he was a bit hoarse

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this morning, and off he went to his work. Now

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it was a good while since Missus Jenkins and Missus

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Hodgson had spoken to each other, although they were quite

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as much in possession of the knowledge of events and

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opinions as though they did. Mary knew that Missus Jenkins

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despised her for not having a real lace cap, which

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Missus Jenkins had, and for having been a servant, which

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Missus Jenkins had not, And the little occasional pinchings which

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the Hodgons were obliged to resort to to make both

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ends meet would have been very patiently endured by Mary

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if she had not winced under Missus Jenkins's knowledge of

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such economy, But she had her revenge. She had a child,

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and Missus Jenkins had none to have had a child,

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even such a puny baby as a little tom, Missus

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Jenkins would have worn commonest caps and clean grapes and

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drudged her fingers to the bone. The great unspoken disappointment

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of her life soured her temper and turned her thoughts inward,

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and made her morbid and selfish. Hang that cat, he's

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been stealing again. He's gnawed the cold mutton in his

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nasty mouth till it's not fit set before a Christian.

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And I've nothing else for gem's dinner. But I'll give

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it him now. I've caught him that I will so saying,

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Missus Hodgesons caught up her husband's Sunday came, and despite

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puts his cries and scratches, she gave him such a

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heating as she hoped might cure him of his thievish propensities.

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When lo and behold, Missus Jenkins stood at the door

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with a face a bitter wrath. Aren't you ashamed of yourself, ma'am?

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To abuse a poor dumb animal, ma'am as knows no

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better than to take food when he sees it, ma'am.

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He only follows the nature which God has given him, ma'am.

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And it's a pity your nature, ma'am, which I've heard,

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is of the stingy say. Species does not make you

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shut your cupver door. A little close up. There is

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such a thing as law for brute animals, I'll ask,

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mister Jenkins. But I don't think them radicals has done

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away with that law yet, for all their reform bill, ma'am,

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My poor precious love of a tommy, is he hurt

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and easy's leg broke for taking a mouthful of scraps

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as most people would have given way to a beggar

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if he'd taken wound up missus Jenkins casting a contemptuous

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look on the remnant of a scrap end of mutton,

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Mary felt very angry and very guilty, for she really

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pitied the poor limping animal as he crept up to

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his mistress and there lay down to bemoan himself. She

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wished she had not beaten him so hard, for it

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certainly was her own careless way of never shutting the

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cupboard door, that it tempts him to his fault. But

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the sneer of her little bit of mutton turned her

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penitence to fresh wrath, and she shut the door in

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Missus Jenkins's face as she stood caressing her cat in

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the lobby with such a bang that it wakened little Tom,

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and he began to cry. Everything was to go wrong

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with Mary to day. Now baby was awake, who was

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to take her husband's dinner to the office. She took

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the child in her arms and tried to hush him

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off to sleep again, and as she sung, she cried.

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She could hardly tell why, a sort of reaction from

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her violent angry feelings. She wished she had never beaten

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the poor cat. She wondered if his leg was really broken,

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what would her mother say if she knew how cross

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and cruel her little Mary was getting. If she could

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live to beat her child in one of her angry fits,

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it was of no use lullabying while she sobbed, So

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it must be given up, and she must just carry

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her baby in her arms and take him with her

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to the office, for it was long past dinner time.

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So she peered the mutton carefully, although by so doing

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she reduced the meat to an infinite samaal quantity, and

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taking the baked potatoes out of the oven, she popped

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them piping hot into her basket with the et ceteras

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of plate, butter, salt, and knife and fork. It was

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indeed a bitter wind. She bent against it as she ran,

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and the flakes of snow were sharp and cutting as ice.

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Baby cried all the way, though she cuddled him up

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in her shawl. Then her husband had made his appetite

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up for a potato pie, and little man as he was,

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his body got so much the better of his mind

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that he looked rather black at the cold mutton. Mary

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had no appetite for her own dinner when she arrived

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at home again, so after she had tried to feed

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the baby, and he had fretfully refused to take his

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bread and milk, she laid him down as usual on

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his quilt, surrounded by playthings, while she sided away and

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chopped sewet for the next day's pudding. Early in the

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afternoon a parcel came done up, first in brown paper,

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then in such a white grass bleached, sweet smelling towel,

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and a note from her dear dear mother, in which

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quaint writing she endeavored to tell her daughter that she

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was not forgotten a Christmas time, but that learning that

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Farmer Burton was killing his pig, she had made interest

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for some of his famous pork, out of which she

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had manufactured some sausages and flavored them, just as Mary

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used to like when she lived at home. Dear dear mother,

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said Mary to herself. There never was any one like

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her for remembering other folk. What rare sausages she used

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to make. Home things have a smack with them. No

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bought things can ever have set them up with their sausages.

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I've a notion if missus Jenkins had ever tasted mothers,

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she have no fancy for them. Town made things. Fanny

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took in just now, And so she went on thinking

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about home till the smiles and the dimples came out

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again at the remembrance of that pretty cottage which would

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look green even now in the depth of winter, with

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its pyracanthus and its holly bushes, and the great porch

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moral that was her mother's pride, and the back path

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through the orchard to farmer Burtons, how well she remembered it.

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The bushels of unripe apples she had picked up there

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and distributed among his pigs till he had scolded her

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for giving them so much green trash. She was interrupted

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her baby. I'd call him a baby because his father

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and mother did, and because he was so little of

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his age, but I rather think he was eighteen months old.

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Had fallen asleep some time before among his playthings, an uneasy,

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restless sleep, but of which Mary had been thankful, as

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his morning snap had been too short, and as she

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was so busy. But now he began to make such

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a strange crowing noise, just like a chair drawn heavily

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and gw waitingly along a kitchen floor. His eyes were open,

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but expressive of nothing but pain. Mother's darling, said Mary

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in terror, lifting him up. Baby, try not to make

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that noise. Hush, hush, darling, what hurts him? But the

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noise came worse and worse. Fanny Fanny Mary called in

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mortal fright, for her baby was almost black with his

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grasping breath, and she had no one to ask for

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aid or sympathy but her landlady's daughter, a little girl

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of twelve or thirteen, who attended to the house in

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her mother's absence as daily cook. In gentlemen families. Fanny

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was more especially considered the attendant of the upstairs lodgers,

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who paid for the use of the kitchen for Jenkins

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could not abide the smell of meat cooking. But she

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was fortunately sitting at her afternoon's work of darning stoppings,

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and hearing missus Hodgeon's cry of terror, she ran to

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her sitting room and understood the case at a glance.

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He's got croupe, oh missus Hodgeon. He'll die as sure

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as fate. Little brother had it, and he died in

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no time. The doctor said he could do nothing for him.

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It had gone too far. He said, if we'd put

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him in a warm barth at first, it might have

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saved him. But bless you, he was never half so

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bad as your baby. Unconsciously there mingled in her statement

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some of a child's love of producing an effect, but

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the increasing danger was clear enough. Oh my baby, my baby,

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Oh love, love, don't look so ill. I cannot bear it,

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and my fire so low. There I was thinking of

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home and picking currants, and never minding the fire. Oh Fanny,

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what is the fire like in the kitchen speak? Mother

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told me to screw it up and throw some slack

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on it as soon as missus Jenkins had done with it,

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and so I did. It's very low and black. But oh,

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missus Hodgson, let me run for the doctor. I cannot

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bear to hear him. It's so like little brother. Through

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a streaming tears, Mary motioned her to go, and, trembling,

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sinking sick at heart, she laid her boy in his

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cradle and ran to fill her kettle. Missus Jenkins having

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cooked her husband's snug little dinner to which he came home,

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having told him her story of Pussy's beating, at which

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00:17:54,119 --> 00:17:59,440
he was justly and dignifiedly indignant, saying it was all

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of a pes with that abusive examiner. Having received the

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sausages and turkey and mince pies which her husband had ordered,

246
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and cleaned up the room and prepared everything for tea

247
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and coaxed and Julie bemoaned her cat, who had pretty

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nearly forgotten his feating but very much enjoyed the petting.

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Having done all these and many other things, Missus Jenkins

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00:18:26,799 --> 00:18:30,519
sat down to get up the real lace cap. Every

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thread was pulled out separately and carefully stretched. When what

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was that outside in the street? A chorus of piping

253
00:18:40,400 --> 00:18:44,599
children's voices, sung the old carol she had heard a

254
00:18:44,720 --> 00:18:49,200
hundred times in the days of her youth. As Joseph

255
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was a walking he heard an angel sing. This night

256
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She'll be born, our heavenly King. He neither shall be

257
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born in housen, nor in ho nor in the place

258
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of paradise, but in an ox of stall. He neither

259
00:19:07,119 --> 00:19:11,359
she'll be clothed in purple, nor in pool, but all

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in fair linen, as were babies all He neither shall

261
00:19:16,079 --> 00:19:20,000
be rocked in silver nor in gold, but in a

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wooden cradle that rocks on the mold, et cetera. She

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got up and went to the window. There below stood

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the group of grave, black little figures, relieved against the

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snow which now enveloped everything. For old sake's sake, as

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00:19:40,200 --> 00:19:44,000
she phrased it, she counted out half a penny apiece

267
00:19:44,319 --> 00:19:47,799
for the singers out of the copper bag and threw

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00:19:47,839 --> 00:19:52,039
them down below. The room had become chilly while she

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had been counting out and throwing down her money, so

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she stirred her already glowing fire and sat down before it,

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but not to stretch her lace. Like Mary Hodgson. She

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began to think over long past days, on softening remembrances

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of the dead and gone on words long forgotten, on

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holy stories heard at her mother's knee. I cannot think

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what come over me to night, said she half aloud,

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recovering herself by the sound of her own voice from

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her train of thought. My head goes wandering on them

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00:20:33,680 --> 00:20:37,920
old times. I'm sure more texts have come into my

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00:20:38,079 --> 00:20:41,799
head with thinking on my mother within this last half

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hour than I've thought on for years and years. I

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hope I'm not going to die. Folks say, thinking too

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much on the bed betokens we're going to join them.

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I should be loath to go just yet. Such a

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fine turkey as we've got fis dinner to morrow too. Knock, knock,

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knock at the door as fast as knuckles could go,

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And then, as if the comer could not wait, the

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door was opened, and Mary Hodgons stood there as white

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as death. Missus Jenkins, Oh your kettle is boiling. Thank God,

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Let me have the water for my baby. For the

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00:21:23,960 --> 00:21:28,359
love of God, he's got creep and he's dying. Missus

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Jenkins turned on her chair with a wooden, inflexible look

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on her face that between ourselves her husband knew and

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dreaded for all his pompous dignity. I'm sorry I can't

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oblige you, ma'am. My kettle is wanted for my husband's tea.

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Don't be afeared, Tommy. Missus Hodgins won't venture to intrude

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herself where she's not desired. You'd better send for the doctor, ma'am,

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instead of wasting your time in wringing your hands. Man,

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My kettle is engaged. Mary clasped her hands together with

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passionate force, but spoke no word of entreaty to that

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00:22:12,279 --> 00:22:18,200
wooden face, that sharp, determined voice. But as she turned away,

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she prayed for strength to bear the coming trial, and

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strength to forgive missus Jenkins. Missus Jenkins watched her go

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away meekly as one who has no hope, and then

304
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she turned upon herself as sharply as she ever did

305
00:22:36,480 --> 00:22:40,559
on any one else. What a brute I am, Lord,

306
00:22:40,720 --> 00:22:44,759
forgive me? What's my husband's tea? To a baby's life?

307
00:22:45,319 --> 00:22:49,960
In Croup too, where time is everything? You crabbed old

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bikes anew. Anyone may know you never had a child.

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She was downstairs, kettle in hand before she had finished

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her elf upbraiding, and when in Missus Hodgeon's room, she

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00:23:04,640 --> 00:23:10,200
rejected all thanks. Mary had not the voice for many words,

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saying stiffly, I'd do it for the poor baby's sake, ma'am,

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hoping he may live to have mercy to poor dumb

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beasts if he does forget to lock his cupboards. But

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she did everything and more than Mary, with her young inexperience,

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00:23:27,799 --> 00:23:32,119
could have thought of. She prepared the warm bath and

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tried it with her husband's own thermometer. Mister Jenkins was

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as punctual as clockwork in noting down the temperature of

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every day. She let his mother's place her baby in

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the tub, still preserving the same rigid, affronted aspect, and

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then she went upstairs without a word. Mary longed to

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ask her to stay, but dared not, though when she

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left the room the tears chased each other down her

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cheeks faster than ever. Poor young mother, how she counted

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00:24:09,359 --> 00:24:13,359
the minutes till the doctor should come, But before he

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00:24:13,519 --> 00:24:18,680
came down again, stalked Missus Jenkins with something in her hand.

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I've seen many of those croup fits, which I take

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it you've not, ma'am. Mustard placed us is very sovereign.

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Put on the throat. I've been up and made one, ma'am,

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and by your leave, I'll put it on the poor

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little fellow. Mary could not speak, but she sighed her

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grateful assent. It began to smart while they still kept silence,

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and he looked up to his mother, as if seeking

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courage from her looks to bear the stinging pain. But

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she was softly crying to see him supper, and her

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want of courage reacted upon him, and he began to

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sob aloud. Instantly, Missus Jenkins's apron was up, hiding her face. Peepe,

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though Baby said she as merrily as she could. His

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little face brightened, and his mother, having once got the cue,

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the two women kept the little fellow amused until his

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plaster had taken effect. He's better, oh, Missus Jenkins. Look

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00:25:30,519 --> 00:25:34,559
at his eyes, how different? And he breathed quite softly

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as Mary spoke. Thus the doctor entered. He examined his patient.

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Baby was really better. It has been a sharp attack,

345
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but the remedies you have applied have been worth all

346
00:25:49,319 --> 00:25:54,039
the paracopella. An hour later, I shall send a powder,

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et cetera, et cetera, Missus Jenkins stave to hear this opinion,

348
00:26:00,079 --> 00:26:04,480
and her heart wonderfully more easy was going to leave

349
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the room. When Mary seized her hand and kissed it.

350
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She could not speak her gratitude. Missus Jenkins looked affronted

351
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and awkward, and as if she must go upstairs and

352
00:26:18,680 --> 00:26:23,799
wash her hand directly. But in spite of these sour looks,

353
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she came softly down an hour or so afterwards to

354
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see how baby was. The little gentleman slept well after

355
00:26:33,839 --> 00:26:37,799
the fright he had given his friends, And on Christmas morning,

356
00:26:38,119 --> 00:26:41,440
when Mary awoke and looked at the sweet little pale

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face lying on her arm, she could hardly realize the

358
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danger he had been in. When she came down later

359
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than usual, she found the household in a commotion. What

360
00:26:55,160 --> 00:26:59,119
do you think had happened? Why Pussy had been a

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traitor to his best friend and eaten up some of

362
00:27:02,720 --> 00:27:08,640
Missus Jenkins's own especial sausages and gnawed and tumbled the

363
00:27:08,720 --> 00:27:11,839
rest so that they were not fit to be eaten.

364
00:27:12,480 --> 00:27:16,079
There were no bounds to that cat's appetite. He would

365
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have eaten his own father if he had been tender enough.

366
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And now Missus Jenkins stormed and cried, hanged the cat

367
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Christmas Day too, and all the shop shut. What was

368
00:27:29,599 --> 00:27:37,359
turkey without sausages, gruffly asked mister Jenkins. Oh Jem, whispered Mary. Hearken,

369
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what a piece of work he's making about sausages. I

370
00:27:41,440 --> 00:27:44,799
should like to take missus Jenkins up some of mother's.

371
00:27:45,240 --> 00:27:50,119
They're twice as good as bought sausages. I see no objection,

372
00:27:50,480 --> 00:27:56,400
my dear. Sausages do not involve intimacies. Else his politics

373
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are what I can no ways respect. But oh, Jem,

374
00:28:01,279 --> 00:28:05,039
if you had seen her last night about baby, I'm

375
00:28:05,079 --> 00:28:08,839
sure she may scold me forever, and I'll not answer.

376
00:28:09,519 --> 00:28:13,279
I'd even make her cat welcome to the sausages. The

377
00:28:13,400 --> 00:28:17,079
tears gathered to Mary's eyes as she kissed her boy.

378
00:28:17,960 --> 00:28:21,519
Better take em upstairs, my dear, and give them to

379
00:28:21,599 --> 00:28:26,559
the cat's mistress. And Jem chuckled at his saying. Mary

380
00:28:26,640 --> 00:28:30,359
put them on a plate, But still she loitered. What

381
00:28:30,559 --> 00:28:35,480
must I say, Jem? I never know? Say I hope

382
00:28:35,480 --> 00:28:40,000
you'll accept of these sausages as my mother. No, that's

383
00:28:40,039 --> 00:28:44,519
not grammar. Say what comes uppermost, Mary, It will be

384
00:28:44,599 --> 00:28:49,000
sure to be right. So Mary carried them upstairs and

385
00:28:49,079 --> 00:28:52,240
knocked at the door, and when told to come in,

386
00:28:52,720 --> 00:28:57,119
she looked very red, but went up to Missus Jenkins saying,

387
00:28:57,839 --> 00:29:02,480
please take these mother, ate them, and was away before

388
00:29:02,480 --> 00:29:06,480
an answer could be given. Just as Hotchin was ready

389
00:29:06,480 --> 00:29:11,720
to go to church, Missus Jenkins came downstairs and called Fanny.

390
00:29:12,640 --> 00:29:16,640
In a minute, the latter entered the Hotchin's room and

391
00:29:16,759 --> 00:29:20,680
delivered mister and Missus Jenkins's compliments. And they would be

392
00:29:20,799 --> 00:29:24,759
particular glad if mister and Missus Hotchin would eat their

393
00:29:24,799 --> 00:29:29,240
dinner with them and carry baby upstairs in a shawl,

394
00:29:29,440 --> 00:29:33,880
be sure, added Missus Jenkins's voice in the passage close

395
00:29:34,000 --> 00:29:38,319
to the door whither she had followed her messenger. There

396
00:29:38,400 --> 00:29:42,160
was no discussing the matter, with the certainty of every

397
00:29:42,240 --> 00:29:48,319
word being overheard. Mary looked anxiously at her husband. She

398
00:29:48,640 --> 00:29:52,839
he saying he did not approve of mister Jenkins's politics.

399
00:29:53,559 --> 00:29:58,440
Do you think it would do the baby? Asked he? Oh, yes,

400
00:29:58,839 --> 00:30:02,799
answered she eagerly. I would wrap him up so warm,

401
00:30:03,319 --> 00:30:06,599
and I've got our room up to sixty five already

402
00:30:07,079 --> 00:30:12,079
for all it's so frosty, added the voice outside. Now,

403
00:30:12,319 --> 00:30:15,519
how do you think they settled the matter? The very

404
00:30:15,599 --> 00:30:19,400
best way in the world. Mister and Missus Jenkins came

405
00:30:19,480 --> 00:30:24,519
down into Hodgin's room and dine there Turkey at the top,

406
00:30:25,000 --> 00:30:29,960
roast beef at the bottom, sausages at one side, potatoes

407
00:30:30,079 --> 00:30:34,240
at the other. Second course plum pudding at the top,

408
00:30:34,759 --> 00:30:39,200
and mince pies at the bottom. And after dinner, Missus

409
00:30:39,279 --> 00:30:43,160
Jenkins would have baby on her knee, and he seemed

410
00:30:43,279 --> 00:30:47,160
quite to take to her. She declared he was admiring

411
00:30:47,359 --> 00:30:51,599
the real lace on her cap. But Mary thought, though

412
00:30:51,720 --> 00:30:55,319
she did not say so, that he was pleased by

413
00:30:55,359 --> 00:30:59,559
her kind looks and coaxing words. Then he was wrapped

414
00:30:59,640 --> 00:31:04,759
up and carried carefully upstairs to tea in Missus Jenkins's room.

415
00:31:05,519 --> 00:31:10,359
And after tea, Missus Jenkins and Mary and her husband

416
00:31:10,400 --> 00:31:14,799
found out each other's mutual liking for music, and sat

417
00:31:14,920 --> 00:31:20,000
singing old Glees and catches till I don't know what o'clock,

418
00:31:20,480 --> 00:31:25,920
without one word of politics or newspapers. Before they parted,

419
00:31:26,480 --> 00:31:30,279
Mary had coaxed pussy on to her knee for Missus

420
00:31:30,359 --> 00:31:34,440
Jenkins would not part with baby who was sleeping on

421
00:31:34,519 --> 00:31:39,359
her lap. When you're busy, bring him to me. Do now,

422
00:31:39,599 --> 00:31:43,039
It will be a real favor I know you must

423
00:31:43,079 --> 00:31:46,519
have a deal to do with another. Coming. Let him

424
00:31:46,559 --> 00:31:50,279
come up to me. I'll take the greatest cares of him,

425
00:31:50,680 --> 00:31:55,200
pretty darling, how sweet he looks when he's asleep. When

426
00:31:55,240 --> 00:31:59,559
the couples were once more alone, the husbands unburdened their

427
00:31:59,640 --> 00:32:04,759
mind to their wives, mister Jenkins said to his do

428
00:32:04,880 --> 00:32:09,400
you know Burgess tried to make me believe Hodgen was

429
00:32:09,559 --> 00:32:13,200
such a film as to put paragraphs into the Examiner

430
00:32:13,519 --> 00:32:17,319
now and then? But I see he knows his place

431
00:32:17,920 --> 00:32:23,960
and has got too much sense to do any such thing. Hodgen, said,

432
00:32:24,400 --> 00:32:29,079
Mary Love. I almost fancy from Jenkins's way of speaking,

433
00:32:29,680 --> 00:32:34,119
so much civili than I expected, he guessed. I wrote

434
00:32:34,160 --> 00:32:38,680
that pro bono and the Rosebud. At any rate, I've

435
00:32:38,720 --> 00:32:42,480
no objection to your naming it. If the subject should

436
00:32:42,519 --> 00:32:46,079
come uppermost, I should like him to know I'm a

437
00:32:46,119 --> 00:32:50,960
literary man. Well, I've ended my tale. I hope you

438
00:32:51,000 --> 00:32:54,960
don't think it too long. But before I go, just

439
00:32:55,079 --> 00:32:58,839
let me say one thing. If any of you have

440
00:32:59,000 --> 00:33:05,880
any quarrels or misunderstandings, or coolness or cold shoulders or shynesses,

441
00:33:06,400 --> 00:33:10,640
or TIFFs or myths or huffs with any one else,

442
00:33:11,279 --> 00:33:15,160
just make friends before Christmas. You will be so much

443
00:33:15,279 --> 00:33:19,400
merrier if you do. I ask it of you for

444
00:33:19,440 --> 00:33:23,519
the sake of that old angelic song heard so many

445
00:33:23,599 --> 00:33:28,039
years ago by the shepherds keeping watch by night on

446
00:33:28,200 --> 00:33:36,279
Bethlehem Heights. End of Christmas, Storms and Sunshine by Elizabeth Gaskell.