Intheroomfromwhichthischeerfulblazeproceeded，hebeheldagirlseatedonawillowchair，andbusilyoccupiedbythelightofthefire，whichwasampleandofwood。Withabill-hookinonehandandaleatherglove，muchtoolargeforher，ontheother，shewasmakingspars，suchasareusedbythatchers，withgreatrapidity。Sheworealeatherapronforthispurpose，whichwasalsomuchtoolargeforherfigure。Onherlefthandlayabundleofthestraight，smoothstickscalledspar-gads——therawmaterialofhermanufacture；onherright，aheapofchipsandends——therefuse——withwhichthefirewasmaintained；infront，apileofthefinishedarticles。Toproducethemshetookupeachgad，lookedcriticallyatitfromendtoend，cutittolength，splititintofour，andsharpenedeachofthequarterswithdexterousblows，whichbroughtittoatriangularpointpreciselyresemblingthatofabayonet。
Besideher，incaseshemightrequiremorelight，abrasscandlestickstoodonalittleroundtable，curiouslyformedofanoldcoffin-stool，withadealtopnailedon，thewhitesurfaceofthelattercontrastingoddlywiththeblackcarvedoakofthesubstructure。Thesocialpositionofthehouseholdinthepastwasalmostasdefinitivelyshownbythepresenceofthisarticleasthatofanesquireornoblemanbyhisoldhelmetsorshields。
Ithadbeencustomaryforeverywell-to-dovillager，whosetenurewasbycopyofcourt-roll，orinanywaymorepermanentthanthatofthemerecotter，tokeepapairofthesestoolsfortheuseofhisowndead；butforthelastgenerationortwoafeelingofcuibonohadledtothediscontinuanceofthecustom，andthestoolswerefrequentlymadeuseofinthemannerdescribed。
Theyoungwomanlaiddownthebill-hookforamomentandexaminedthepalmofherrighthand，which，unliketheother，wasungloved，andshowedlittlehardnessorroughnessaboutit。Thepalmwasredandblistering，asifthispresentoccupationwerenotfrequentenoughwithhertosubdueittowhatitworkedin。Aswithsomanyrighthandsborntomanuallabor，therewasnothinginitsfundamentalshapetobearoutthephysiologicalconventionalismthatgradationsofbirth，gentleormean，showthemselvesprimarilyintheformofthismember。Nothingbutacastofthedieofdestinyhaddecidedthatthegirlshouldhandlethetool；andthefingerswhichclaspedtheheavyashhaftmighthaveskilfullyguidedthepencilorsweptthestring，hadtheyonlybeensettodoitingoodtime。
Herfacehadtheusualfulnessofexpressionwhichisdevelopedbyalifeofsolitude。Wheretheeyesofamultitudebeatlikewavesuponacountenancetheyseemtowearawayitsindividuality；butinthestillwaterofprivacyeverytentacleoffeelingandsentimentshootsoutinvisibleluxuriance，tobeinterpretedasreadilyasachild’slookbyanintruder。Inyearsshewasnomorethannineteenortwenty，butthenecessityoftakingthoughtatatooearlyperiodoflifehadforcedtheprovisionalcurvesofherchildhood’sfacetoaprematurefinality。Thusshehadbutlittlepretensiontobeauty，saveinoneprominentparticular——herhair。Itsabundancemadeitalmostunmanageable；itscolorwas，roughlyspeaking，andasseenherebyfirelight，brown，butcarefulnotice，oranobservationbyday，wouldhaverevealedthatitstrueshadewasarareandbeautifulapproximationtochestnut。