rs. Dry, as lived in the almshouses. They wanted Davy, the son of
Bill Davy the milkman, to see me home with the lantern, but I wouldn't
let him, 'cause of his sore throat. Throat!--no it wasn't his throat
as was rare sore--it was--no, it wasn't--yes, it was--it was his toe
as was sore. His big toe. A nail out of his boot had got into it. I
_told_ him he'd be sure to have a bad toe, if he didn't go to church
more regular, but he wouldn't listen; and so my words come'd true.
But, as I was a-saying, I wouldn't let him by reason of his sore
throat--toe, I mean--and as I went along, the night seemed to grow
darker and darker. A straight road, though, and I was so used to it by
day-time, it didn't matter for the darkness. Hows'ever, when I come'd
near the bottom of the Dust-heap as I had to pass, the great dark
heap was so 'zackly the same as the night, you couldn't tell one
from t'other. So, thinks I to myself--_what_ was I thinking of at
this moment?--for the life o' me I can't call it to mind; but that's
neither here nor there, only for this--it was a something that led me
to remember the story of how the devil goes about like a roaring lion.
And while I was a-hoping he might not he out a-roaring that night,
what should I see rise out of one side of the Dust-heap, but a
beautiful shining star, of a violet color. I stood as still, as
stock-still as any I don't-know-what! There it lay, as beautiful as
a new-born babe, all a-shining in the dust! By degrees I got courage
to go a little nearer--and then a little nearer still--for, says I
to myself, I'm a sinful woman, I know, but I have repented, and do
repent constantly of all the sins of my youth and the backslidings
of my age--which have been numerous; and once I had a very heavy
backsliding--but that's neither here nor there. So, as I was a-saying,
having collected all my sinfulness of life, and humbleness before
Heaven, into a goodish bit of courage, forward I steps--a little
furder--and a leetle furder more--_un_-til I come'd just up to the
beautiful shining star lying upon the dust. Well, it was a long time I
stood a-looking down at it, before I ventured to do what I arterwards
did. But at last I did stoop down with both hands slowly--in case
it might burn, or bite--and gathering up a good scoop of ashes as
my hands went along. I took it up, and began a-carrying it home, all
shining before me, and with a soft blue mist rising up round about it.
Heaven forgive me! I was p