wrote to a cousin in Dublin, desiring him to come over and divide the
land, which, up to this time, had been a joint estate. But previous to
his coming, Mrs. Nicholson took care to pay a visit to the person who
occupied the greatest portion of the land. She got him to show her all
over the property, and point out to her where the best land was
situated, promising as he was an old tenant that he should never be
disturbed. Having obtained all the information she could, she took
advantage of her cousin, who was ignorant of the different qualities of
the soil, and she took care that no person should have an opportunity of
telling him till it was too late to retract. When he came over to
Yorkshire to accommodate her by dividing the land, she laid her plans,
and partly by promises if he gratified her in letting her have such and
such portions in her allotment, and partly by threats of disinheriting
him if he refused, she succeeded in getting nearly all the best land
laid to her share, and left him only the same quantity of the inferior
quality.
At the same time that the cousin from Dublin was at Drax, another
cousin, a widow from Cumberland, happened to arrive on some business of
her own. Mrs. Nicholson conceived the project of getting this widow to
come and live in Yorkshire, doubtless thinking she would be able to make
her useful, and, besides, she had a house unoccupied at Drax, and
thought she might find in this cousin an eligible tenant. These
circumstances induced her to behave with tolerable civility to her
visitors for a short time, but her temper was so irritable that they
could not speak freely in her presence.
Her cousins had agreed to depart from Yorkshire together, and travel in
company as far as Liverpool, and the day of their departure was fixed,
much to the satisfaction of all parties, for she sorely grudged the
expense of providing for them, and, as may well be believed, they did
not find themselves particularly comfortable at Drax.
Mrs. Nicholson had living with her at this time a great-niece of Mr.
Nicholson's, who was acting in place of the servant whom she had
discharged in a fit of jealousy.
The young girl had striven all she could, along with Mr. Nicholson, to
make the visitors comfortable, and generally contrived during the day to
have some eatables deposited where she could have free access to them at
night when they went to bed, so that while Mrs. Nicholson was enjoying
her supper in the dairy, her visitors, thanks to the young girl's
kindness, were quietly enjoying themselves upstairs in their bedrooms.
Mr. Nicholson, during the visit of these friends of Mrs. Nicholson's,
had behaved with the utmost kindness and cordiality towards them. On the
Monday evening previous to their departure (which was fixed for
Wednesday), as they were together walking in the orchard, Mr. Nicholson
directed their attention towards some fine geese. "Yes," he repeated, as
his visitors admired them, "they are fine ones, and we will have one
killed and roasted for tomorrow's dinner, as it may be a long time
before we shall all have an opportunity of dining together again." "No,"
exclaimed Mrs. Nicholson, "we will not; they are not your geese, they
are mine; and I intend to send them to Selby market where I shall get
four and sixpence a-piece for them." "Well, if they are yours," replied
Mr. Nicholson, "you will surely not refuse to have one of them taken as
a treat for your friends the last day they will be here." "Yes, but I
will, though," replied she. "You care nothing about a goose, do you?"
said she, addressing herself to them. Of course they answered "No."
"But," said Mr. Nicholson, "we must have one; and if you will not give a
paltry goose as a treat to your friends, I will buy one from you, for I
am determined we shall have it." "Well, then," she replied, "I will sell
you one for five shillings." "No," he answered; "you said you would get
four and sixpence at the market, and I will give you no more." After
much altercation and debate, it was at length agreed that he should have
a goose for four and sixpence, but he refused to pay the money without a
receipt, for he knew if he did not get one she would swear that he had
not paid for it. At last a receipt was written out and duly signed, and
deposited by Mr. Nicholson in his pocket-book. The evening passed away
pleasantly enough, and the visitors retired to rest not a little amused
at the bargain which had been made between the husband and wife. Very
different, however, were the sentiments they experienced for the two
individuals; for the husband they could not help feeling both pity and
esteem, but for the wife they felt nothing but disgust.
In the morning a scene ensued which it is difficult to describe. The
visitors were awakened by loud quarrelling and angry and bitter words.
They arose and went down-stairs, and found Mr. and Mrs. Nicholson almost
at blows. It was supposed that Mrs. Nicholson, after they had all
retired for the night, crept into her husband's room when she had been
assured he was asleep (for at this time, and long previous, they had
occupied separate apartments), and taking the pocket-book out of his
pocket stole therefrom the receipt for the goose; she then replaced the
pocket-book, and went quietly to bed. In the morning Mr. Nicholson rose
early to have the goose killed and dressed in good time, and it was
ready for the spit when Mrs. Nicholson came down-stairs. When she saw
it, she was in a furious rage. She stormed and raved, and swore she
would have Mr. Nicholson taken up for theft. Just then her cousins all
came down-stairs and endeavoured to make peace, but in vain. She
declared she would have him taken up, for the goose was hers, and he had
stolen it.
"How can you say so," he replied, "when I have your own receipt showing
that I paid you for it?"
"You are a liar!" she replied. "You did not pay for it. You have no
receipt. You have killed my goose; but I will have you taken up, I
will."
"Did you ever hear such a woman?" said Mr. Nicholson, appealing to the
company. "Is she not enough to drive a man mad? You all saw me pay for
the goose last night, and I can produce the receipt she gave me for it."
"You can't! you can't! I never gave you one, and you shall pay me for
my goose yet. Show the receipt if you have it, you thief!"
Mr. Nicholson took out his pocket-book immediately, thinking to silence
her; but the receipt was gone. Finding it had been abstracted from his
pocket-book, he was very much enraged, and accused her of having taken
it. But she did not care for that, and after some more angry
recrimination, Mr. Nicholson, for the sake of peace, and to prevent the
company from being any longer annoyed by their disagreement, consented
to pay for the goose a second time, and it was then roasted for dinner.
After dinner was over she suddenly declared her intention of going to
Cumberland to see some property she had there, and also to visit her
half-brother and his children, whom she had not seen for many years.
Another inducement was her fear that her cousin would not return to
settle in Yorkshire unless she accompanied her on her journey to
Cumberland, when she would have an opportunity of continually urging her
to do so. She also thought she could travel cheaper in her cousin's
company than alone, for she always managed to lean pretty heavily on her
companions.
The plan which the other friends had formed of travelling as far as
Liverpool together was prevented by this fresh arrangement, and one of
the cousins was placed in a dilemma by a little act of kindness on the
part of the niece, who had hidden in her box a few fine pears as a
remembrance for the children in Cumberland. Now, Mrs. Nicholson had
declared that she would not take any box or trunk with her, and desired
her cousin to bring down her trunk to see if room could be made for the
few things she would require during her absence from home. No time was
therefore to be lost in removing the pears, which the niece slyly
effected by transferring them to her pocket whilst her aunt was looking
in another direction. Had Mrs. Nicholson seen the pears in the box, she
would have had cousins, niece, and all indicted together for stealing
them.
On the Wednesday morning her cousin from Dublin, with his wife and
daughter, took their departure, heartily glad to leave their
inhospitable relative.
Mrs. Nicholson immediately commenced preparing for her journey, giving a
particular charge to her niece not to let Mr. Nicholson get possession
of the butter or apple money during her absence, and to keep close watch
over him that he did not get drunk. Previous to her departure, Mr.
Nicholson asked her to bring back with her into Yorkshire his sister,
who was decrepit and destitute, and dependent on him for her support.
She agreed to the proposal, remarking if he would keep her he could do
it cheaper at home. But before she would undertake to bring the old lady
she required a promise in writing from Mr. Nicholson that he would
refund all travelling expenses incurred on his sister's account;
remarking to her cousin that she would charge him plenty, for she was
not going to be at the trouble of bringing the old woman for nothing;
and she thought if she proved good for anything, she might make her take
the place of a servant, if the niece left her, as she often threatened
to do.
Taking all these things into consideration, she promised to bring her
sister-in-law with her when she returned from Cumberland. And now, all
other things being arranged, she began to contrive the most economical
way of making the journey. She proposed to take the packet for York at
Langrick Ferry. She could walk that distance very well, but as her
cousin had a trunk she advised her to hire a cart, which would take them
all, for it would cost as much if she sent the trunk by itself.
Accordingly, a cart was procured, they bade farewell to Mr. Nicholson,
and proceeded on their journey. They got safe on board the packet, and
nothing particular occurred until they arrived in York, about three
o'clock in the afternoon, when Mrs. Nicholson told her cousin that she
knew a respectable house in Lendal where they could lodge cheap. Upon
proceeding there they found very comfortable accommodation, and the
cousin was much relieved by finding that the landlady perfectly
understood Mrs. Nicholson's character.
At this time Mrs. Nicholson's dress consisted of an old mourning print
dress, very thin and faded, and so scanty for her corpulent figure that
it was scarcely sufficient to cover her under-garments, which were of a
corresponding description. Over her shoulders was an old black or rather
brown stuff shawl, bound round the edge with what had once been black
crape; her bonnet was an old fancy straw, trimmed with black ribbon; a
cap to correspond; a large yellow silk handkerchief round her neck, and
a large printed apron tied before her, completed her travelling attire.
In the trunk was deposited a black, stuff dress. This, along with the
shawl she wore, had been bought for her by her mother thirteen years
before, as mourning for an aunt, and it had also served as mourning for
her mother, for whom she was then wearing it. In addition to the gown,
there was a black apron, an old vest, and an old dimity skirt, which
formed the whole of her wardrobe. However, the idea of these treasures
being in the trunk made her very anxious about its safety in the various
stages of their journey. After they had taken some refreshment, Mrs.
Nicholson said they must now consider which would be the cheapest way of
getting into Cumberland. It would never do to go by train. She knew
there were fly waggons travelling from York to various places, and they
must try and find them out.
Being, however, informed that the fly waggons had ceased travelling
since all goods were forwarded by train, it occurred to her that perhaps
she might get conveyed cheaper by luggage train. Accordingly she went to
the railway station, and applied at the offices of Pickford and other
carriers, telling them of her wish to travel by the fly waggons, but as
they were superseded by the luggage trains, she thought they might take
passengers along with the goods in the same way as was formerly done by
the waggons. The clerks and porters told her they could not do anything
of the sort; there were regular passenger trains, and she could not go
by any other. She said she could scarcely afford to travel in that way,
and begged to be allowed to go with the goods. But her labour was in
vain, and much to the satisfaction of her thoroughly-ashamed companion,
she was obliged to relinquish her hopes, and return to her lodgings,
fatigued, dispirited, and abusing everybody she had met with.
On the following morning she reluctantly consented to take the train as
far as Northallerton. When she arrived there several hours were spent in
similar fruitless attempts to procure a conveyance to Darlington.
Finding her efforts were useless, she began to consider that the expense
of lodgings would be incurred if they remained there much longer, and
she then determined to take the last train at night for Darlington, at
which station they arrived about ten o'clock. Proceeding towards the
town, they inquired where they could get a decent private lodging, and
were directed to an old couple, with whom they spent the night and next
day till the conveyance they had chosen was ready to depart.
They found the waggon was very heavily loaded, having among other things
several very long fir planks. There was some difficulty in getting Mrs.
Nicholson mounted, but at length she got squeezed in, and reclining
herself on the planks, endeavoured to compose herself to sleep. But what
with the jolting of the waggon and the confined space into which she was
squeezed being insufficient for her huge person, her limbs became
completely cramped; and this, with the excessive closeness of the place,
for the waggon was covered with canvas, made Mrs. Nicholson ill.
Reaching out her arms in the dark, she seized her companion by the hair,
and exclaimed, "Oh, I am dying! Oh, do get the man to stop! Oh, do, or I
shall die in this confounded waggon." In vain did her companion beg she
would relinquish her hold of her hair, telling her if she did not
release her she could not get to the front of the waggon to make the man
hear. The only reply was, "Oh, I am dying! Get a knife out of your
pocket and cut the cover open." At length her companion succeeded in
disengaging herself from Mrs. Nicholson's grasp, and scrambling over the
various packages in the waggon, attracted the attention of the waggoner,
who immediately stopped his horses, and did all in his power to render
the situation of the travellers a little more comfortable. They arrived
at Barnard Castle about nine in the morning. Here the driver said they
would remain until noon, and then proceed to Brough.
Mrs. Nicholson told the landlady of the house where the waggon stopped
how ill she had been on the road; that she could not afford to travel by
a better conveyance; that she could not take any refreshment except a
cup of tea, and that she had plenty of eatables with her in her basket.
The kind landlady looked at her as if she sincerely pitied her, and
said, "Well, never mind, you shall have a kettle boiled, and you shall
make yourself comfortable. I will charge you nothing for it." She then
showed the travellers into a neat little room, and said she hoped when
Mrs. Nicholson had taken some tea, and had a little rest on the sofa,
she would be able to proceed on her journey as soon as the waggon was
ready.
They arrived in safety at Brough, intending to proceed on their journey
next morning. But in the morning she was very ill. She had been little
accustomed to exercise for some time before, and the long and toilsome
journey in the waggon had been too much for her.
A day or two recruited her strength, and with the recovery of health,
she forgot her dislike to the waggon, for they next proceeded by
carrier's cart by Appleby to Penrith. But here she declared her
intention of finishing her journey on foot, for what with lodgings and
what with travelling expenses, she said it was going to cost as much as
if they had proceeded direct by railway. The trunk was accordingly
re-directed, to be left at Coldbeck, in Cumberland, till called for, and
given in charge of the carrier, with many injunctions from Mrs.
Nicholson to be careful of it, as it contained many things of
consequence.
When they reached the little inn at Blencow the landlady eyed them
suspiciously from head to foot.
The landlady, being unable to accommodate them, set a domestic to
inquire for lodgings, but returned unsuccessful, for a company of
Sappers and Miners who were then in that neighbourhood occupied every
place which was available in the little village.
Mrs. Nicholson declared her intention of remaining, repeatedly asserting
that the landlady was compelled to accommodate them. But the landlady
appeared to be anxious to get rid of them, and said she could not be
compelled to accommodate more travellers than the size of the house
would afford.
Fortunately Mrs. Nicholson remembered having an old acquaintance in the
place, and from him a light cart was obtained to convey the travellers
to Southernby, where Mrs. Nicholson's tenant, Mr. Ralph, resided. Here
they remained a day or two, and were treated most hospitably.
Mr. Ralph conveyed them in his own cart to Park End, near Coldbeck,
where Mrs. Nicholson's brother and family resided. The travellers
received a hearty welcome and the kindest treatment. On the day after
their arrival at Park End, at Mrs. Nicholson's request, her nephew
proceeded to Coldbeck to inquire after the trunk. He brought the trunk
back with him, and informed them that it had been carried by mistake to
another person of the same name, who had opened it, but finding it was
not hers, she had fastened it up again as well as she could, and said
the owner would find all right inside. "Oh, my apron, my good black
apron, I am sure it will be gone," exclaimed Mrs. Nicholson; "I wish I
had never put anything into your nasty trunk. My good skirts, too, if
they are gone I'll make them pay dearly for them." The trunk was soon
examined, and fortunately her precious things were all safe, so that
peace was soon restored.
They remained at Park End about a week, and but for the restraint her
presence always inflicted on those connected with her, the kindness they
received would have made the visit delightful.
Mrs. Nicholson's nephew took his aunt and her cousin to the place where
Mr. Nicholson's sister resided. She explained to the persons who had the
care of her the arrangement which Mr. Nicholson had made for her future
custody, and desired them to be in readiness to convey her to Whitehaven
when she was sent for. Both the old woman and the person she lived with,
who was a niece of Mr. Nicholson's, seemed much affected at the thought
of parting with each other; but the idea of joining her dear brother
seemed to console the old lady. Alas! she little knew the cheerless home
that awaited her.
When they had arranged this business, they returned to Park End. Her
nephew then took her to visit another lady, an old acquaintance of Mr.
Nicholson's, between whom it appeared a rather close intimacy had
subsisted previous to Mr. Nicholson's removal to Yorkshire. They
received as usual a very kind reception, and an invitation to remain.
Many sheep are kept in that part of Cumberland, and this was the period
for the annual clipping. At this season they make a kind of feast with
what is called there "butter sopps." Mrs. S----, the lady of the house
where they were staying, presented Mrs. Nicholson with some of the
butter sopps in a basin, requesting her to take them to Mr. Nicholson as
a present from her, jocosely remarking that she would like to be within
hearing when he was eating them. Mrs. Nicholson accepted the butter
sopps, and promised to deliver the message.
Part of old Miss Nicholson's furniture was sold, and arrangements were
made for removing the remainder to Yorkshire. Then Mrs. Nicholson and
the old lady started. It happened that part of the furniture of Miss
Nicholson had been bought by parties from Whitehaven, and a cart was
engaged next day to convey a sofa and a clock to the abode of the
purchaser. Mrs. Nicholson persuaded her cousin to proceed in this cart
to Whitehaven, at which place her other sister resided. This lady was
the companion of Mrs. Nicholson when she went to Selby confirmation, and
wrote the lively account of her visit which appears in this memoir. Mrs.
Nicholson's notable plan of travelling in the cart with the sofa and
clock was adopted. The sofa was placed lengthways on the cart, so that
the two passengers when seated thereon travelled sideways. The
clock-case lay behind, with a basket containing the works placed on the
top. They proceeded along pretty well until they were near a town named
Distington, through which they had to pass, when by some means the works
of the clock began to strike like a bell ringing, nor could their
efforts to stop it avail. With every roll of the cart it went tingle,
tingle, tingle, until the people began to look out of their houses as
they passed. "Come and look," said they; "here is such a fat woman
mounted on a sofa, and they are ringing a bell and going to show her."
This exasperated Nancy Nicholson to the utmost. She swore at the urchins
that ran by the side of the cart, and the more furious she grew the more
provoking did they become.
When they arrived at their cousin's house at Whitehaven the servants
were struck with amazement at her great size, and exclaimed, "However
shall we get her off the cart? We shall be forced to take her to the
warehouse and bouse her out with the crane." However, they managed to
assist her down without the aid of the crane, and she was very soon made
so comfortable that she forgot the vexation of her journey through
Distington.
Mrs. Nicholson, old Miss Nicholson, and a cousin who was travelling with
them, and to whom the reader is indebted for the details of the journey,
were hospitably received by the cousin at Whitehaven.
Mrs. Nicholson appears to have been still fearful that her companion
would not return with her, and therefore determined to take her
departure by the packet which left Whitehaven on Saturday for Liverpool,
and her cousin arranged to accompany her. They had been informed that
the packet would start at two o'clock in the afternoon, but just as they
were sitting down to dinner a gentleman called to say the packet was
then making ready. Immediately all was bustle and confusion. It was
necessary to convey down to the vessel not only the luggage, but Mr.
Nicholson's sister also, who was unable to walk. The dinner was left
untasted, but the kind cousin at whose house they had been staying
placed the meat and vegetables in a basket, and sent it after them,
saying they must dine when they got on board.
All their friends assembled on the pier from which the packet sailed,
and the sad farewell was followed by many prayers for her who had been
lured away from her friends and home by what they considered the
specious promises of Mrs. Nicholson.
The travelling party now comprised Mrs. Nicholson, her sister-in-law
(who was quite decrepit, and could scarcely walk even with the
assistance of sticks), the cousin who had accompanied her throughout the
journey, and her two children.
Soon after the packet left Whitehaven, it commenced blowing pretty
strong, and many of the passengers were very sick; amongst the rest,
Mrs. Nicholson and her cousin.
When the passengers left Whitehaven they expected to reach Liverpool by
midnight, when they would have been able to take the first train in the
morning for Manchester. The wind had caused some delay, and
unfortunately the packet had run against a loaded schooner, which had
carried away one of her paddles, and in consequence the remainder of the
voyage was performed without the aid of steam.
It was late in the forenoon when our travellers arrived in Liverpool,
and having procured a cab, as Miss Nicholson could not walk, they
proceeded at once to the railway station in Lime Street. To their dismay
they found the station closed, and on inquiry were informed that it
would not be open again for some hours. They were now in an awkward
dilemma, for Mrs. Nicholson declared her intention of remaining in the
street until the doors were opened, for she could not think of being at
the trouble and expense of removing her sister-in-law backwards and
forwards in vain.