The passage below is an excerpt from the novel Cranford by Elizabeth Gaskell:

1. IN the first place, Cranford is in possession of the Amazons; all the holders of
houses, above a certain rent, are women. If a married couple come to settle in
the town, somehow the gentleman disappears; he is either fairly frightened to
death by being the only man in the Cranford evening parties, or he is
accounted for by being with his regiment, his ship, or closely engaged in
business all the week in the great neighbouring commercial town of Drumble,
distant only twenty miles on a railroad. In short, whatever does become of the
gentlemen, they are not at Cranford. What could they do if they were there?
The surgeon has his round of thirty miles, and sleeps at Cranford; but every
man cannot be a surgeon. For keeping the trim gardens full of choice flowers
without a weed to speck them; for frightening away little boys who look
wistfully at the said flowers through the railings; for rushing out at the geese
that occasionally venture into the gardens if the gates are left open; for
deciding all questions of literature and politics without troubling themselves
with unnecessary reasons or arguments; for obtaining clear and correct
knowledge of everybody's affairs in the parish; for keeping their neat
maidservants in admirable order; for kindness (somewhat dictatorial) to the
poor, and real tender good offices to each other whenever they are in distress,
the ladies of Cranford are quite sufficient. "A man as one of them observed to
me once, " is so in the way in the house!" Although the ladies of Cranford
know all each other's proceedings, they are exceedingly indifferent to each
other's opinions. Indeed, as each has her own individuality, not to say
eccentricity, pretty strongly developed, nothing is so easy as verbal retaliation;
but, somehow, goodwill reigns among them to a considerable degree.

2. The Cranford ladies have only an occasional little quarrel, spirited out in a few
peppery words and angry jerks of the head; just enough to prevent the even
tenor of their lives from becoming too flat- Their dress is very independent of
fashion; as they observe, 'What does it signify how we dress here at
Cranford, where everybody knows us?" And if they go from home, their
reason is equally cogent, 'What does it signify how we dress here, where
nobody knows us?" The materials of their clothes are, in general, good and
plain, and most of them are nearly as scrupulous as Miss Tyler, of cleanly
memory; but I will answer for it, the last gigot, the last tight and scanty petticoat
in wear in England, was seen in Cranford and seen without a smile.

3. I can testify to a magnificent family red silk umbrella, under which a gentle little

spinster, left alone of many brothers and sisters, used to patter to church on
rainy days. Have you any red silk umbrellas in London?
We had a tradition of the first that had ever been seen in Cranford; and the little
boys mobbed it, and called it "a stick in petticoats." It might have been the very
red silk one I have described, held by a strong father over a troop of little ones;
the poor little lady the survivor of all could scarcely carry it.

4. Then there were rules and regulations for visiting and calls; and they were
announced to any young people, who might be staying in the town, with all the
solemnity with which the old Manx laws were read once a year on the Tinwald
Mount.

5. "Our friends have sent to inquire how you are after your journey to-night, my
dear" (fifteen miles in a gentleman's carriage); "they will give you some rest
tomorrow, but the next day, I have no doubt, they will call; so be at liberty after
twelve from twelve to three are our calling-hoursl'

6. Then, after they had called,

7. "It is the third day; I daresay your mamma has told
you, my dear, never let more than three days elapse between receiving a call
and returning it; and also, that you are never to stay longer than a quarter of an
hour"

8. "But am I to look at my watch? How am I to find out when a quarter of an hour
has passed?"

9. "You must keep thinking about the time, my dear, and not allow yourself to
forget it in conversation."