Cranford

The temptation of the comfortable arm-chair had been too much for her Mr Mulliner We gave her a tea-spoonful of currant jelly Afraid of matrimonial reports Asked him to take care of us Slaughterous and indiscriminate directions Would stretch out their little arms “What do you think, Miss Matty?” Standing over him like a bold dragoon “You must give me your note, Mr Dobson, if you please” “Please, ma’am, he wants to marry me off hand” Miss Matty and I sat assenting to accounts Smiling glory ... and becoming blushes I went to call Miss Matty Most of the three-colour blocks used in this book have been made by the Graphic Photo-Engraving Co. , London OUR SOCIETY In the first place, Cranford is in possession of the Amazons; all the holders of houses above a certain rent are women. If a married couple come to settle in the town, somehow the gentleman disappears; he is either fairly frightened to death by being the only man in the Cranford evening parties, or he is accounted for by being with his regiment, his ship, or closely engaged in business all the week in the great neighbouring commercial town of Drumble, distant only twenty miles on a railroad. In short, whatever does become of the gentlemen, they are not at Cranford. What could they do if they were there? The surgeon has his round of thirty miles, and sleeps at Cranford; but every man cannot be a surgeon. For keeping the trim gardens full of choice flowers without a weed to speck them; for frightening away little boys who look wistfully at the said flowers through the railings; for rushing out at the geese that occasionally venture in to the gardens if the gates are left open; for deciding all questions of literature and politics without troubling themselves with unnecessary reasons or arguments; for obtaining clear and correct knowledge of everybody’s affairs in the parish; for keeping their neat maid-servants in admirable order; for kindness (somewhat dictatorial) to the poor, and real tender good offices to each other whenever they are in distress, the ladies of Cranford are quite sufficient. “A man,” as one of them observed to me once, “is so in the way in the house!” Although the ladies of Cranford know all each other’s proceedings, they are exceedingly indifferent to each other’s opinions. Indeed, as each has her own individuality,…