Page:The Leadbeater Papers (1862) Vol 1.djvu/45

other houses. Here lived the widow Taylor and her daughter, with frugal neatness and exemplary industry. The widow was tall and thin, and had the remains of beauty. She was a chatty woman, skilful in the complaints of children, and kind in assisting by advice and attendance. Her name was Bridget, but she generally bore the appellation of "aunt.” About this time, while going to Abraham Shackleton's one windy evening, wrapped in her camlet riding-hood, which gathered the wind, she, being very light, was blown into the river, and was in danger of perishing before the accident was discovered. The inflated riding-hood bore her up along the stream. Her daughter Polly, a fine tall blooming young woman, appeared to me, especially when adorned with a stay-hook set with shining stones, a beauty so resplendent that I gazed in silent admiration. She was prevailed upon by my mother to take my younger sister and me as day-scholars, before we went to my father's school. We were very carefully taught by our fair instructress, and were great favourites with her and her mother. Polly Taylor afterwards married Joshua Haughton, and was known as Molly Haughton.

Most awkwardly in the way of the entrance to this mansion was the end of Edward Miles's, some of the apartments of which being quite dark gave rise to stories that the house was haunted.

The buildings which joined and darkened this house were partly inhabited by journeymen shoemakers. One of them was called the Ball-room, and there the school-