But it contained a full proportion of the poor or labouring class; and these people were falling very much into the habit of writing the village "Cawn," in accordance with its pronunciation.
Phonetic spelling was more in their line than Johnson's Dictionary.

Of what may be called the middle class the village held few, if any: there were the gentry, the small shopkeepers, and the poor.
Calne had recently been exalted into importance.

A year or two before this bright August morning some good genius had brought a railway to it--a railway and a station, with all its accompanying work and bustle.
Many trains passed it in the course of the day; for it was in the direct line of route from the county town, Garchester, to London, and the traffic was increasing.

People wondered what travellers had done, and what sort of a round they traversed, before this direct line was made.
The village itself lay somewhat in a hollow, the ground rising to a gentle eminence on either side.

On the one eminence, to the west, was situated the station; on the other, eastward, rose the large stone mansion, Hartledon House.