Not so grand as this farm

  But a deal more comfort

  So he say and his words grow in my mind

  What is there to stay here now Lucetta gone

  Master Ned and Master Blyth also

  The house gradually falling down

  With little to eat and nothing to mark

  One day from the next one year from tother

  Netttie I owe her nothing

  She has no a ways likd me

  The thoughts grow and grow

  Tis the small things some time

  Which bring the change

  For me twas Nettie a coming well again

  So getting up and checking my work

  So Mary Ann I see you not black the grate

  The yard is not swept

  Cobwebs up on the landing ceiling

  So she goes on and on

  This has always been so but now my anger

  It gathers and gathers

  So one day my mind is set

  I speak to Ambrose he say

  So at last you come to yr senses

  Course I shall make arrangements

  Then two days later he says tis done

  A position is found for me at Pitchcombe

  Tis picking wool which I done afore

  So many years ago with Mrs Freda Woebegone

  A respectable woman in Painswick

  Does offer me also a bed

  So my mind is made up

  The day I choose

  Is the first of strong sun

  I feel the life in me rising

  Thinks to myself

  Why did I not do this years ago

  Mr Harland Cottrell I say knocking at his door

  Please may I speak with you

  For all my courage still I am shaking

  Then I must shout again

  To make he hear

  Come come he say

  When I open the door see him there

  As I have seed him so many times afore

  Sitting bent at his desk

  I am sudden full of regret

  For his grey hair swept back

  His gold rim eye glasses

  His long fingers and fixing stare

  All are so familiar to me

  I remember all his kindness

  Yet still I am decide I must go on

  I must not hesitate say it all in one breath

  Shouting v loud as he has not his trumpet

  Sir I am decide I shall leave here

  They have work for me at Pitchcombe

  This will be a better situation for me

  Sudden he stand up

  I was not prepard for the shock upon his face

  Mary Ann Mary Ann What talk is this

  I am sorry Sir but so I must

  No no no he say

  Who put such nonsense in yr head

  You must not go to any mill

  Beezlebub hisself walks these paths

  My knees is shaking now my voice thin

  So it may be Sir yet my mind is made up

  His hand come crashing down on the desk

  No No So you will not

  I do forbid it

  This is yr home has always been

  You are need here

  I understand Sir but I must

  No No No I cannot believe such base ingratitude

  You have lodging here this long year

  I take you as part of my family despite all

  Now this is how I am repaid

  I am truly grateful Sir for all you do

  That I am but you must understand Sir

  I should like to be paid for my work

  I find it hard to believe my own voice

  Do I speak these words

  At this he seems to swell up and grow

  I think he might burst out his own skin

  Then the air goes out of him shoulder sag

  Shakes his head back and forwards rubs his chin

  Mary Ann Mary Ann I had not thought you to be

  A person so interestd in money

  These words make my ire rise again

  I will go on I will say what I want despite he

  Then he seems to think a little

  Tis true he say then

  Not right I do not offer you any wage

  Yet Mary Ann you can see how I am placd

  From where would I find such money

  I thought you would understand that I here

  Am engagd on many works to the Glory of God

  For the advancement of His people

  For the understanding

  Of the natural philosophy of this His creation

  As such the case I have no thought of money

  I say nothing to this

  What I could say is perhaps he should

  Spend less time on God advancement philosophy

  Manage better his affairs

  For though there is no money

  He have still sometimes new shirt and shoes

  Books arriving in parcels from London

  We feed the soul if not the body

  So he say

  What is no money to some people

  Is v much to others

  But I say none of that

  Sudden he turns from me bitterly says

  Go then go and do not come again

  I am bitterly disappointd in you

  If you want to go to the Devil

  That is yr business

  So I leave the room shaking

  Twas all much worse than I thought

  I am sorry we have argud

  But I am through it and free

  I am going now

  So only Nettie to deal with now

  That is done quickly

  Walk in the kitchen and say

  I am leaving here Nettie

  I go to work at Pitchcombe

  She stands there with her vast jaw open

  Her chins wobbling as her head goes side to side

  Then she is gone to Mr Harland Cottrell

  What will they say I wonder

  Soon as I think it I do not care

  The sun is dancing as I walk up to the attic

  Takes not ten minutes

  To put my possessions together

  I have no bag so wrap them in a shawl

  Place careful the little basket

  Lucetta did make for me of her hair

  Also the glass bead jewel bracelet

  Placd within that now

  The button from the chemise of Baby Fern

  Which I have always kept

  Also a shawl Ambrose give me

  Once at Christmas tide too precious to wear

  The kerchief of Mr Woebegone

  All wrappd together now

  Then I come downstairs

  The house is silent I love it then

  As I lovd it the first few years I come here

  Tis hard but I must not delay

  So I step out the back door

  Head down the lane not look back

  Though terror grips my soul

  Yet I have not gone many steps

  When I hear the voice of Mr Harland Cottrell

  Mary Ann Mary Ann

  Tarry a moment if you please

  I stop and turn to him

  There is a deep kindness in his face

  He stretch out both white hands toward me

  Tis only then I notice how his waistcoat

  Is buttoned up all crookd

  How this does appear to make him stand

  All pushd to one side

  Comic and sad both

  Why does he never notice such as this

  Mary Ann I am truly sorry

  I should not have spoke to you as I did

  I was hasty and unkind

  I faild to acknowledge all yr kindness

  Given as twas ovr many good and bad years

  Thankee Sir I say

  Yet I am thinking tis better when he shout

  For what now can I say

  Please Mary Ann he say Please reconsider

  Where will I be without you

  Who else would evr serve me as you have done

  Please will you not think on this

  Tis hard then v hard yet still I say

  I am sorry Sir I do not wish to leave you

  That I do not and I remember all yr kindness

  Yet I must be paid for my work

  Even such as me must be paid

  Mr Harland Cottrell throw hands in the air

  His lock of white hair blowing wild

  Of course he say Of course

  You are quite right

  But here then let me make a suggestion

  I wait then for his suggestion

  I will not take it whatevr tis

  I am going I will go Tis all decide

  Mary Ann how say you to this

  You work in the mill and then you have money

  Yet you still live at the farm here

  You help us out just some time

  Perhaps when the work is too much for Nettie

  This I had not foreseed

  I do not know what to say

  Yet what he proposes answers my every question

  I feel myself weakening

  I must not I must not

  But what argument is there gainst this

  Thank you Sir I say

  I must certainly consider this offer

  My mind is moving fast

  I know not now where the words come from

  However Sir I say

  I do not like share a room with Nettie

  Perhaps another could be found

  Yes Yes Mr Harland Cottrell say

  His eyes brightening much

  That was v much my thinking Mary Ann

  Yes yes I had oft thought this

  Was on the verge of mentioning it to you

  In fact why do you not come with me now

  We consider what arrangements be made

  So I follow him back to the house

  Immediately he takes me up to the landing

  Here he say here

  Flings open a door has not been open

  In many a long time

  As the door open mice scurry out the mattress

  Soon we see the ceiling hanging down

  Ah ah say Mr Harland Cottrell

  Um um Yes Well there we are

  I biting my lip to stop myself laughing

  Tis a long time since such mirth rose in me

  A sudden love also for he

  Stand there so v grand to offer me this room

  With its mice cobwebs dust

  Ah yes he say Yes

  Obviously we have to look to some improvements

  But there we are Mary Ann

  You are excellent at cleaning

  Putting things straight

  You would be able to get it better

  In no time at all

  What say you

  Course I had to say yes

  It were not the room I card not for that

  It were him finally

  I could not say him Nay

  For though he was selfish and foolish

  Yet I lovd him still

  I did not want to go

  That eve in the kitchen

  Nettie would not speak one word to me

  I was glad to have frightd her

  Though truth is I would have been

  Sad to take my leave of her

  Though I did not like her nor she me

  So that night I went to sleep in the mouse room

  Having first some cleaning found a mattress

  Afore I went abed I stood by the winder

  Lookd out into the blackness and smild

  My mouth hardly knew to smile twas so long

  I thought then of Lucetta

  I knew she would be proud of me

  For I had a new job but also stay where I belong

  In truth it were down to her

  She had given me the strength for this

  As she had given others their strength

  Made the light of God shine in them

  Even though she were gone

  We were all touchd by her still

  So this then the beginning of my new life

  I step out into the flow of the river

  Watch no more

  Course had been to Pitchcombe afore

  Yet so tis different once you are inside

  Tis a place of iniquity so all chorus say

  Yet certainly at the beginning

  I am spinning with the joy of it

  The noise cracks yr ears

  Ground a jumping under yr feet

  Yr mind dubbld by it

  Due to the fall of the fulling stocks

  The whole building shake ceiling to floor

  All must shout til their voices is adry

  All is dust dirt hurry

  Oft I am think Mr Harland Cottrells question

  Does the man work the machine

  Or the machine work the man

  It seems a question worth to ask

  Meet there such I have never met afore

  Israelite Spanish with rings in his ears

  Even one who has no hair being burnt in a fire

  If we do not meet the orders

  Soon there will be none more

  So does Mr Fluck say

  Oh many a time

  That where the looms are

  Yet I am in the picking room

  Less furious just a little

  We are many women

  Work at opening first the girt sacks

  Spring open with a bang

  Spreading dust and grease everywhere

  Wool is sent even from Australia

  Then banging this wool to get the dirt out

  Afore tis washd in troughs

  The floor always slipping wet

  The room gaping and winders high up

  Cakd with dust

  The only advantage being the wool is grease

  So keeps yr hands oild soft

  The first day I arrive a problem straightway

  She cannot work here one say

  Does not have the height to reach

  I am afeard then for tis true

  The trestle is high

  Yet one steps forward bold

  I know her later is Emma

  Nay nay she says

  Go fetch one of those crates

  In which they keep the bobbins Go

  So a child goes comes back with a crate

  When I am stood on that

  Emma send up a cheer all laugh

  So I am startd

  Course there is drinking and swearing

  Many engage in seditious talk

  Such as one Mad Dog Harvey

  Who is but half savd

  Cannot see what is the difference

  So he say betwixt our new Queen

  And a washerwoman

  Why they not be treatd with equal respect

  Let her put a sign ovr her door

  Viva Regina Washerwoman Mangler to the Community

  Then I have respect for her

  We all do laugh though we should not

  A narrow passage round the back

  Up where the cloth is stretchd to dry

  Where you do not go

  Tis said there you see

  Men tug up womens skirts

  Pulling at their britches

  Pushing and groaning no better than animals

  It would sicken yr heart to see it

  Also much courting of the proper kind

  But even that I do not like to see

  How girls do make such fools of theysselfs

  Tis none of it for me

  Our foreman is a hard man

  Shouts at any who stop work

  Even to wipe their brow

  Yet for me life is not so bad as some

  For Ambrose now is raisd

  Keeps an eye for me

  All know it take care

  The rough girls on the line Betty Kate Annie

  They says to me Oh you have a fancy man upstairs

  I do not mind their jests

  As Ambrose is a fine man now of good position

  I do not speak much to he or tother way about

  Yet there is a memory betwixt us of other times

  One day on the line all is tird and broke

  We must keep on to beat the hazel twigs down

  Yet all is degectd run adry

  So speaks Emma and say

  Is there no one can tell us a tale

  So I say I will and starts

  Soon a silence falls

  Even the foreman listening

  At the end many do say

  What a fine way of words you have

  What a story you do tell

  Which makes me shine happy

  After that many a time I do tell stories

  Oft shouting above the noise

  I am never without one to tell

  For I remember each penny blood or novel

  Mother Bucks Fairy Tales The Pig Faced Lady

  The Poisoning of Fair Rosamund by Queen Eleanor

  Johnny Armstrong How he Fought and Fell

  Tell again all those stories

  Add many more of my own

  Speaking in all the voices of the character

  Describing so we are all transportd there

  Even the foreman say naught

 

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43