CHAPTER XXIX 432
She put her floury and horny hand into mine; another and heartier smile illumined her rough face, and from that moment we were friends.
Hannah was evidently fond of talking. While I picked the fruit, and she made the paste for the pies, she proceeded to give me sundry details about her deceased master and mistress, and " the childer," as she called the young people.
Old Mr. Rivers, she said, was a plain man enough, but a gentleman, and of as ancient a family as could be found. Marsh End had belonged to the Rivers ever since it was a house: and it was, she affirmed, " aboon two hundred year old-- for all it looked but a small, humble place, naught to compare wi ' Mr. Oliver ' s grand hall down i ' Morton Vale. But she could remember Bill Oliver ' s father a journeyman needlemaker; and th ' Rivers wor gentry i ' th ' owd days o ' th ' Henrys, as onybody might see by looking into th ' registers i ' Morton Church vestry." Still, she allowed, " the owd maister was like other folk-- naught mich out o ' t ' common way: stark mad o ' shooting, and farming, and sich like." The mistress was different. She was a great reader, and studied a deal; and the " bairns " had taken after her. There was nothing like them in these parts, nor ever had been; they had liked learning, all three, almost from the time they could speak; and they had always been " of a mak ' of their own." Mr. St. John, when he grew up, would go to college and be a parson; and the girls, as soon as they left school, would seek places as governesses: for they had told her their father had some years ago lost a great deal of money by a man he had trusted turning bankrupt; and as he was now not rich enough to give them fortunes, they must provide for themselves. They had lived very little at home for a long while, and were only come now to stay a few weeks on account of their father ' s death; but they did so like Marsh End and Morton, and all these moors and hills about. They had been in London, and many other grand towns; but they always said there was no place like home; and then they were so agreeable with each other-- never fell out nor " threaped." She did not know where there was such a family for being united.
Having finished my task of gooseberry picking, I asked where the two ladies and their brother were now.