Life's Other Sides

About Jane Crawford

A new day should be one to look forward to uh? Well not for Jane....her parents had been killed by God knows what,She lived with her aunt, Dorothy who seemed hell bent on making her life miserable ,her uncle, Jasper who had always saved her from his frustrated wife was dead too. Jane had every reason to be hopeless.

   She glanced at the clock on her old table and winced because she knew she was going to get some serious tongue lashing from her 'bossy' boss back at the clothes shop she thought 'how worse could this day get?'.

   Lazily she got out of her makeshift bed and dragged her self to the bath,she caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror and sighed heavily, saying as if to cheer herself up, ....'get a grip girl, just get this day over and done with'.....  

   She had her bath and got dressed in her old gown in record time and slipped into her equally old shoe.. Always shy of her red hair she  mindlessly piled it up and put on her hat, at least that is what it used to be.       She sighed one last time and stilled herself for her aunt's 'sermon'. She opened the door ,stepped out and.......'' When are you going to stop being so non chalant you brat?'..her aunt started... 'If you loose this job I hope you know what will happen?  In case you didn't know I will throw you out in the streets where you will die of hunger or worse and trust  me ,I will!!!' And when aunt Gertrude says she will do it she means she will....' And she never disappoints' Jane thought. Pretending to be sorry,Jane sits at the table and hurriedly eats her 'breakfast' (note the sarcasm) under her aunt's glare.. She steps out of the house with her Aunt yelling that she make sure she comes back early today because.....she closes the door before she could catch the rest.

  Stepping out into the streets , Jane hurriedly walked the long distance to the clotheshop where she worked as a salesperson. Jane had always wondered why her aunt hated her so much,why she was always so angry and bitter..... ..Her aunt never smiled.... Maybe because Gertrude never had her own children,that seemed the most logical explanation. Jane had sometimes walked in on her crying but whenever she tried to console her, her aunt turned hard faced and sneered at her telling her without words to go away.. 'oh well,we all have our problems don't we?' she said a little too loud which earned a few questioning looks from passers by....shrugging she dashed on murmuring 'sorrys'  to people she mistakenly hit on her way...

Jane really was  non-chalant and stubborn as a mule but she had a good heart. Her work earned her a little amount ,yet she made sure she gave Ma Parson who lived down the street a few shillings when she got her pay each week , before she gave  what she was left with to her Aunt, who always complained that she was giving out 'her money' to beggars......Jane never listened.

   Out of breath and sweating Jane got to the clotheshop ,opened the door and stepped in only to come face to face with her fuming boss..... 'Oop, this can't be good' she thought. As if on cue , red faced with his hands gesturing all over the place , Mr Barringer ,her boss, screamed at her 'Now listen here young lady, the next time you come to work late, you will be sacked. Do you know how I had to make sacrifices! huge sacrifices! to own a shop this big?'  'here we go again' Jane thought....... 'let me tell you so can understand...I used to live comfortably with my wife,her brother,his six children;Harriet,Jumpy,Eddie.......' He ranted on and on.....

  ' Oh pluck my life' Jane thought. She tuned out of what he was saying and waited till he finished his narration...  Exactly six minutes latter he finally said 'now, get to work and sell me some silk'.

   Jane put on her best 'I'm sorry' face and hurried off  to work. she was smart enough to hide her smirk..

    Smiling at her fellow sales person and close friend, Ella who was the daughter of the local blacksmith, She took of her hat and tied a scarf around her head then she changed into her worn out uniform...

   Ella who liked to gossip walked up to her and asked...'so have you heard the latest?' Jane who never fancied meaningless gossip gave Ella a confused look and asked..' what ?' sighing and rolling her eyes, Ella said ' You never dissapoint, The Earl Of Syningham will be coming to visit his mother,the countess,on the morrow' Ella gave Jane an expectant look which was returned by a blue  gaze asking...... 'so what exactly am I supposed to do with that 'very important' news? ......Ella walked away murmuring to herself....

      Jane immediately set to work, hanging the  ballgowns that needed to be displayed in the front of the shop....she gradually became engrossed in what she was doing and became lost in her thoughts.....

    She often wondered what kind if people her parents had been...were they nice,caring,and loving? .....Had they loved her?.......she had no memory of them whatsoever for she had been but an infant when they were found dead in their carriage on their way to the south.....

  Her uncle had told her that her father, Sebastien had the kindest eyes and his smile held no pretense...whoever his smile was aimed at could bask in its warmth....

And her mother , Francine, had been free spirited nothing could hold her down until she met Jane's father......Jane knew that she reminded her Uncle of his long lost sister.

      Jane had been heart broken when her uncle died of the flu...she had mourned her uncle more than Dorothy mourned her husband..... Her uncle had taught her how to read and write.....he had taught her never to let a man look down on her....he had told her to hold her head up high wherever she was....

     She had found it hard to believe that her uncle was dead and gone... but her aunt had called her back to earth by telling her that she had to earn her living or she would take Jane to the nearest 'pleasure place'

    Jane had found a job and here she was ten and eight years old and fending for herself,with no knowledge whatsoever what to do with her life..

    Jane was pulled from her thought by a customer's entrance...she rose to attend to the lady who happened to be governess.

   And so the day went,customers coming and going,Mr Barringer regularly checking on them with his big eyes...

    'Just like any other day' Jane thought with a sigh...

     In the next instant ,Mr Barringer bellowed 'Jane!!!! Come here this minute' ......

    Glancing at Ella who raised an eyebrow in question,Jane shrugged and hurried off to Mr Barringer..

    On getting there, Mr Barringer said....... ' I want you to gather the most beautiful silk ballgowns and take it to the

Countess of Syningham's place' .....

      Eyeing Jane's work worn uniform,he added... ' Get a clothe of your size to change into, we can't have you go over there in these rags, looking like a chimney sweeper now can we?'

    Raising her chin Jane said ' I am comfortable with my gown and that is what I shall wear' .....

     Glaring at her ,Barringer knew arguing with Jane was a waste of time...he hurriedly dismissed her ...

   Jane went off to do as he bid..... she just wanted to run this errand and go home. .

  How wrong she had been when she said that day was just like any other day!!!!!!!