The doctor had already paid his visit to Nance Wilson, and had rated her father soundly for not procuring better food for her.
"It's all nonsense your saying the times are bad," he said in reply to the man's excuses.

"I know the times are bad; but you know as well as I do that half your wages go to the public house; your family are starving while you are squandering money in drink.

That child is sinking from pure want of food, and I doubt if she would not be gone now if it hadn't have been for that soup your wife tells me Bill Swinton sent in to her.
I tell you, if she dies you will be as much her murderer as if you had chopped her down with a hatchet." The plain speaking of the doctor was the terror of his parish patients, who nevertheless respected him for the honest truths he told them.
He himself used to say that his plain speaking saved him a world of trouble, for that his patients took good care never to send for him except when he was really wanted.
The next day Mary Powlett was unable to go off as usual to Marsden as George was in great pain from his scald.

She went down to church, however, in the evening with her father, Bill Swinton taking her place by the bedside of the boy.
"Thou hast been a-sitting by moi bedside hours every day, Polly," he said, "and it's moi turn now to take thy place here.

Jack ha' brought over all moi books, for oi couldn't make shift to carry them and use moi crutches, and oi'll explain all the pictures to Jarge jest as Maister Ned explained 'em to oi." The sight of the pictures reconciled George to Polly's departure, and seeing the lad was amused and comfortable, she started with Luke, Dick taking his place near the bed, where he could also enjoy a look at the pictures.
"Did you notice that pretty girl with the sweet voice in the aisle in a line with us, father," Ned asked that evening, "with a great, strong, quiet looking man by the side of her ?" "Yes, lad, the sweetness of her singing attracted my attention, and I thought what a bright, pretty face it was!" "That's Mary Powlett and her uncle.