Mary Barton : a tale of Manchester life / [By Elizabeth C. Gaskell.].

  • Gaskell, Elizabeth Cleghorn, 1810-1865.
Date:
1849
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Mary Barton : a tale of Manchester life / [By Elizabeth C. Gaskell.]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by Royal College of Physicians, London. The original may be consulted at Royal College of Physicians, London.

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    call a Pembroke, only that it was made of deal, and I cannot tell how far such a name may be applied to such humble material. On it, resting against the wall, was a bright green japanned tea-tray, having a couple of scarlet lovers embracing in the middle. The fire-light danced merrily on this, and really (setting all taste but that of a child’s aside) it gave a richness of colouring to that side of the room. It was in some measure propped up by a crimson tea-caddy, also of japan ware. A round table on one branching leg really for use, stood in the corresponding corner to the cupboard; and, if you can picture all this, with a washy, but clean stencilled pattern on the walls you can form some idea of John Barton’s home. The tray was soon hoisted down, and before the merry clatter of cups and saucers began, the women disburdened themselves of their out-of-door things, and sent Mary up stairs with them. Then came a long whispering, and chinking of money, to which Mr. and Mrs. Wilson were too polite to attend; knowing, as they did full well, that it all related to the preparations for hospitality; hospitality that, in their turn, they should have such pleasure in offering. So they tried to be busily occupied with the children, and not to hear Mrs. Barton’s directions to Mary. “Run, Mary dear, just round the corner, and get some fresh eggs at Tipping’s (you may get one a-piece, that will be five-pence), and see if he has any nice ham cut, that he would let us have a pound of.” “Say two pounds, Missis, and don’t be stingy,” chimed in the husband. “Well, a pound and a half, Mary. And get it Cumber- land ham, for Wilson comes from there-away, and it will have a sort of relish of home with it he ’ll like, — and Mary” (seeing the lassie fain to be off), “you must get a pennyworth of milk and a loaf of bread — mind you get it fresh and new — and, and — that’s all, Mary.” “No, it’s not all,” said her husband. “Thou must get sixpenny worth of rum, to warm the tea; thou ’ll get it at the ‘Grapes,’ And thou just go to Alice Wilson; he says she lives just right round the corner, under 14, Barber street” (this was addressed to his wife), “and tell her to come and