whole lives are passed in scraping up sixpences by weary hard
work. It is one thing to write fine sentiments in books about
incorruptible honesty, and another thing to put those sentiments
in practice when one day's work is all that a man has to set up
in the way of an obstacle between starvation and his own
fireside.

The only resource that remained was to carry the pocketbook with
me to Moor Farm, and ask permission to pass the night there. But
I could not persuade myself that there was any real necessity for
taking such a course as this; and, if the truth must be told, my
pride revolted at the idea of presenting myself in the character
of a coward before the people at the farm. Timidity is thought
rather a graceful attraction among ladies, but among poor women
it is something to be laughed at. A woman with less spirit of her
own than I had, and always shall have, would have considered
twice in my situation before she made up her mind to encounter
the jokes of plowmen and the jeers of milkmaids. As for me, I had
hardly considered about going to the farm before I despised
myself for entertaining any such notion. "No, no," thought I, "I
am not the woman to walk a mile and a half through rain, and
mist, and darkness to tell a whole kitchenful of people that I am
afraid. Come what may, here I stop till father gets back."

Having arrived at that valiant resolution, the first thing I did
was to lock and bolt the back and front doors, and see to the
security of every shutter in the house.

That duty performed, I made a blazing fire, lighted my candle,
and sat down to tea, as snug and comfortable as possible. I could