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222
A New England Girlhood, Outlined from Memory (Beverly, MA)
·
Lucy Larcom
136
She
watched
over
us,
gave
us
needed
reproof
and
commendation,
rarely
cosseted
us,
but
rather
made
us
laugh
at
what
many
would
have
considered
the
hardships
of
our
lot.
She
taught
us
not
only
to
accept
the
circumstances
in
which
we
found
ourselves,
but
to
win
from
them
courage
and
strength.
When
we
came
in
shivering
from
our
work,
through
a
snowstorm,
complaining
of
numb
hands
and
feet,
she
would
say
cheerily,
"But
it
doesn't
make
you
any
warmer
to
say
you
are
cold;"
and
this
was
typical
of
the
way
she
took
life
generally,
and
tried
to
have
us
take
it.
She
was
constantly
denying
herself
for
our
sakes,
without
making
us
feel
that
she
was
doing
so.
But
she
did
not
let
us
get
into
the
bad
habit
of
pitying
ourselves
because
we
were
not
as
"well
off"
as
many
other
children.
And
indeed
we
considered
ourselves
pleasantly
situated;
but
the
best
of
it
all
was
that
we
had
her.
Her
theories
for
herself,
and
her
practice,
too,
were
rather
severe;
but
we
tried
to
follow
them,
according
to
our
weaker
abilities.
Her
custom
was,
for
instance,
to
take
a
full
cold
bath
every
morning
before
she
went
to
her
work,
even
though
the
water
was
chiefly
broken
ice;
and
we
did
the
same
whenever
we
could
be
resolute
enough.
It
required
both
nerve
and
will
to
do
this
at
five
o'clock
on
a
zero
morning,
in
a
room
without
a
fire;
but
it
helped
us
to
harden
ourselves,
while
we
formed
a
good
habit.
The
working-day
in
winter
began
at
the
very
earliest
daylight,
and
ended
at
half-past
seven
in
the
evening.
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