They know no
difference, God help 'em: it's the pushing o' the teeth as sets them
on, that's what it is.'
So Eppie was reared without punishment, the burden of her
misdeeds being borne vicariously by father Silas. The stone hut was
made a soft nest for her, lined with downy patience: and also in the
world that lay beyond the stone hut for her, she knew nothing of
frowns and denials.
Notwithstanding the difficulty of carrying her and his yarn or
linen at the same time, Silas took her with him in most of his
journeys to the farmhouses, unwilling to leave her behind at Dolly
Winthrop's, who was always ready to take care of her; and little
curly-headed Eppie, the weaver's child, became an object of interest
at several out-lying homesteads, as well as in the village. Hitherto
he had been treated very much as if he had been a useful gnome or
brownie- a queer and unaccountable creature, who must necessarily be
looked at with wondering curiosity and repulsion, and with whom one
would be glad to make all greetings and bargains as brief as possible,
but who must be dealt with in a propitiatory way, and occasionally
have a present of pork or garden-stuff to carry home with him,
seeing that without him there was no getting the yarn woven. But now
Silas met with open smiling faces and cheerful questioning, as a
person whose satisfactions and difficulties could be understood.
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