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family； my mother had eyes as black as sloes； just like Hetty’s。”
“The child ’ull be none the worse for having summat as isn’t
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like Hetty。 An’ I’m none for having her so over pretty。 Though for
the matter o’ that； there’s people wi’ light hair an’ blue eyes as
pretty as them wi’ black。 If Dinah had got a bit o’ colour in her
cheeks； an’ didn’t stick that Methodist cap on her head； enough to
frighten the cows； folks ’ud think her as pretty as Hetty。”
“Nay； nay；” said Mr。 Poyser； with rather a contemptuous
emphasis； “thee dostna know the pints of a woman。 The men ’ud
niver run after Dinah as they would after Hetty。”
“What care I what the men ’ud run after？ It’s well seen what
choice the most of ’em know how to make； by the poor draggle…
tails o’ wives you see； like bits o’ gauze ribbin； good for nothing
when the colour’s gone。”
“Well； well； thee canstna say but what I knowed how to make a
choice when I married thee；” said Mr。 Poyser； who usually settled
little conjugal disputes by a compliment of this sort； “and thee
wast twice as buxom as Dinah ten year ago。”
“I niver said as a woman had need to be ugly to make a good
missis of a house。 There’s Chowne’s wife ugly enough to turn the
milk an’ save the rennet； but she’ll niver save nothing any other
way。 But as for Dinah； poor child； she’s niver likely to be buxom as
long as she’ll make her dinner o’ cake and water； for the sake o’
giving to them as want。 She provoked me past bearing sometimes；
and； as I told her； she went clean again’ the Scriptur’； for that says；
‘Love your neighbour as yourself’； ‘but；’ I said； ‘if you loved your
neighbour no better nor you do yourself； Dinah； it’s little enough
you’d do for him。 You’d be thinking he might do well enough on a
half…empty stomach。’ Eh； I wonder where she is this blessed
Sunday！ Sitting by that sick woman； I daresay； as she’d set her
heart on going to all of a sudden。”
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“Ah； it was a pity she should take such megrims into her head；
when she might ha’ stayed wi’ us all summer； and eaten twice as
much as she wanted； and it ’ud niver ha’ been missed。 She made
no odds in th’ house at all； for she sat as still at her sewing as a
bird on the nest； and was uncommon nimble at running to fetch
anything。 If Hetty gets married； theed’st like to ha’ Dinah wi’ thee
constant。”
“It’s no use thinking o’ that；” said Mrs。 Poyser。 “You might as
well beckon to the flying swallow as ask Dinah to come an’ live
here comfortable； like other folks。 If anything could turn her； I
should ha’ turned her； for I’ve talked to her for a hour on end； and
scolded her too； for she’s my own sister’s child； and it behoves me
to do what I can for her。 But eh； poor thing； as soon as she’d said
us ‘good…bye’ an’ got into the cart； an’ looked back at me with her
pale face； as is welly like her Aunt Judith come back from heaven；
I begun to be frightened to think o’ the set…downs I’d given her； for
it comes over you sometimes as if she’d a way o’ knowing the
rights o’ things more nor other folks have。 But I’ll niver give in as
that’s ’cause she’s a Methodist； no more nor a white calf’s white
’cause it eats out o’ the same bucket wi’ a black un。”
“Nay；” said Mr。 Poyser； with as near an approach to a snarl as
his good…nature would allow； “I’m no opinion o’ the Methodists。
It’s on’y tradesfolks as turn Methodists； you nuver knew a farmer
bitten wi’ them maggots。 There’s maybe a workman now an’ then；
as isn’t over…cliver at ’s work； takes to preachin’ an’ that； like Seth
Bede。 But you see Adam； as has got one o’ the best head…pieces
hereabout； knows better； he’s a good Churchman； else I’d never
encourage him for a sweetheart for Hetty。”
“Why； goodness me；” said Mrs。 Poyser； who had looked back
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while her husband was speaking； “look where Molly is with them
lads！ They’re the field’s length behind us。 How could you let ’em
do so； Hetty？ Anybody might as well set a pictur’ to watch the
children as you。 Run back and tell ’em to come on。”
Mr。 and Mrs。 Poyser were now at the end of the second field； so
they set Totty on the top of one of the large stones forming the
true Loamshire stile； and awaited the loiterers Totty observing
with complacency； “Dey naughty； naughty boys—me dood。”
The fact was that this Sunday walk through the fields was
fraught with great excitement to Marty and Tommy； who saw a
perpetual drama going on in the hedgerows； and could no more
refrain from stopping and peeping than if they had been a couple
of spaniels or terriers。 Marty was quite sure he saw a yellow…
hammer on the boughs of the great ash； and while he was peeping；
he missed the sight of a white…throated stoat； which had run across
the path and was described with much fervour by the junior
Tommy。 Then there was a little greenfinch； just fledged； fluttering
along the ground； and it seemed quite possible to catch it； till it
managed to flutter under the blackberry bush。 Hetty could not be
got to give any heed to these things； so Molly was called on for her
ready sympathy； and peeped with open mouth wherever she was
told； and said “Lawks！” whenever she was expected to wonder。
Molly hastened on with some alarm when Hetty had come back
and called to them that her aunt was angry； but Marty ran on first；
shouting； “We’ve found the speckled turkey’s nest； Mother！” with
the instinctive confidence that people who bring good news are
never in fault。
“Ah；” said Mrs。 Poyser； really forgetting all discipline in this
pleasant surprise； “that’s a good lad； why； where is it？”
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“Down in ever such a hole； under the hedge。 I saw it first；
looking after the greenfinch； and she sat on th’ nest。”
“You didn’t frighten her； I hope；” said the mother； “else she’ll
forsake it。”
“No； I went away as still as still； and whispered to Molly—didn’t
I； Molly？”
“Well； well； now come on；” said Mrs。 Poyser； “and walk before
Father and Mother； and take your little sister by the hand。 We
must go straight on now。 Good boys don’t look after the birds of a
Sunday。”
“But； Mother；” said Marty； “you said you’d give half…a…crown to
find the speckled turkey’s nest。 Mayn’t I have the half…crown put
into my money…box？”
“We’ll see about that； my lad； if you walk along now； like a good
boy。”
The father and mother exchanged a significant glance of
amusement at their eldest…born’s acuteness； but on Tommy’s
round face there was a cloud。
“Mother；” he said； half…crying； “Marty’s got ever so much more
money in his box nor I’ve got in mine。”
“Munny； me want half…a…toun in my bots；” said Totty。
“Hush； hush； hush；” said Mrs。 Poyser； “did ever anybody hear
such naughty children？ Nobody shall ever see their money…boxes
any more； if they don’t make haste and go on to church。”
This dreadful threat had the desired effect； and through the two
remaining fields the three pair of small legs trotted on without any
serious interruption； notwithstanding a small pond full of tadpoles；
alias “bullheads；” which the lads looked at wistfully。
The damp hay