Lancashire Idylls (1898) by Marshall Mather
page 80 of 236 (33%)
page 80 of 236 (33%)
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'Blame Him as mak's a woman so as hoo cornd forget her child.'
Now that the lamp was out a flutter of excitement was passing through the village, Milly Lord being the first to discover it. She, poor girl! was sitting at her little window listening to the beat of the rain, and the swish of the grasses that grew in her garden below--sitting and wondering how it was there were no 'angel een' looking down at the earth, and keeping her eye fixed on the gable light of Mrs. Stott's lone homestead. Suddenly this light disappeared. If the sun had gone out at noonday Milly would not have been more startled. Night after night she had watched that light, and night after night she had heard her mother tell the oft-repeated story of Amanda's fall. Once, indeed, Milly startled her mother in its repetition by saying: 'Happen, if I hadn't lost mi leg, mother, I should ha' sinned as Amanda did.' And then Milly's mother drew the girl close to her heart, and thanked God for a lamb safe in the fold. No wonder when Milly saw the light go out that she cried: 'Mother! mother! Amanda Stott's come wom'!' 'Whatever will hoo say next?' gasped Mrs. Lord. 'I tell yo' Amanda's come wom'. Th' leet's aat--thaa con see for thisel!' and the girl was beside herself with excitement. 'So it is,' said Mrs. Lord. 'Bud it's noan Amanda; it's happen her |
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