'There are briars besetting every path,

Which call for patient care;

There is a cross in every lot,

And an earnest need for prayer.'

ANON.

Margaret went out heavily and unwillingly enough. But the length

of a street--yes, the air of a Milton Street--cheered her young

blood before she reached her first turning. Her step grew

lighter, her lip redder. She began to take notice, instead of

having her thoughts turned so exclusively inward. She saw unusual

loiterers in the streets: men with their hands in their pockets

sauntering along; loud-laughing and loud-spoken girls clustered

together, apparently excited to high spirits, and a boisterous

independence of temper and behaviour. The more ill-looking of the

men--the discreditable minority--hung about on the steps of the

beer-houses and gin-shops, smoking, and commenting pretty freely

on every passer-by. Margaret disliked the prospect of the long

walk through these streets, before she came to the fields which

she had planned to reach. Instead, she would go and see Bessy

Higgins. It would not be so refreshing as a quiet country walk,

but still it would perhaps be doing the kinder thing.

Nicholas Higgins was sitting by the fire smoking, as she went in.

Bessy was rocking herself on the other side.

Nicholas took the pipe out of his mouth, and standing up, pushed

his chair towards Margaret; he leant against the chimney piece in

a lounging attitude, while she asked Bessy how she was.

'Hoo's rather down i' th' mouth in regard to spirits, but hoo's

better in health. Hoo doesn't like this strike. Hoo's a deal too

much set on peace and quietness at any price.' 'This is th' third strike I've seen,' said she, sighing, as if

that was answer and explanation enough.

'Well, third time pays for all. See if we don't dang th' masters

this time. See if they don't come, and beg us to come back at our

own price. That's all. We've missed it afore time, I grant yo';

but this time we'n laid our plans desperate deep.' 'Why do you strike?' asked Margaret. 'Striking is leaving off

work till you get your own rate of wages, is it not? You must not

wonder at my ignorance; where I come from I never heard of a

strike.' 'I wish I were there,' said Bessy, wearily. 'But it's not for me

to get sick and tired o' strikes. This is the last I'll see.

Before it's ended I shall be in the Great City--the Holy

Jerusalem.' 'Hoo's so full of th' life to come, hoo cannot think of th'

present. Now I, yo' see, am bound to do the best I can here. I

think a bird i' th' hand is worth two i' th' bush. So them's the

different views we take on th' strike question.' 'But,' said Margaret, 'if the people struck, as you call it,

where I come from, as they are mostly all field labourers, the

seed would not be sown, the hay got in, the corn reaped.' 'Well?' said he. He had resumed his pipe, and put his 'well' in

the form of an interrogation.




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