I had been to tea, with her and
Mrs. 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 light me with the lantern 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 be 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--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,