The side of the town on which Crampton lay was especially a thoroughfare for the factory people. In the back streets around them there were many mills, out of which poured streams of men and women two or three times a day. Until Margaret had learnt the times of their ingress and egress, she was very unfortunate in constantly falling in with them. They came rushing along, with bold, fearless faces, and loud laughs and jests, particularly aimed at all those who appeared to be above them in rank or station. The tones of their unrestrained voices, and their carelessness of all common rules of street politeness, frightened Margaret a little at first. The girls, with their rough, but not unfriendly freedom, would comment on her dress, even touch her shawl or gown to ascertain the exact material; nay, once or twice she was asked questions relative to some article which they particularly admired. There was such a simple reliance on her womanly sympathy with their love of dress, and on her kindliness, that she gladly replied to these inquiries, as soon as she understood them; and half smiled back at their remarks. She did not mind meeting any number of girls, loud spoken and boisterous though they might be. But she alternately dreaded and fired up against the workmen, who commented not on her dress, but on her looks, in the same open, fearless manner. She, who had hitherto felt that even the most refined remark on her personal appearance was an impertinence, had to endure undisguised admiration from these outspoken men. 
In the streets around Crampton there were many mills, out of which poured streams of men and women two or three times a day. They came rushing along, with bold, fearless faces, and loud laughs and jests, aimed at all those above them in rank. Their unrestrained voices, and their carelessness of all common rules of politeness, frightened Margaret a little at first. The girls, with their rough, but not unfriendly freedom, would comment on her dress, and even touch her shawl or gown to check the exact material; once or twice they asked her about some article which they admired. There was such a simple reliance on her womanly sympathy with their love of dress, that she gladly replied to these inquiries, as soon as she understood them; and half-smiled back.
She did not mind meeting any number of girls, loud spoken and boisterous though they might be. But she dreaded and fired up against the workmen, who commented not on her dress, but on her looks, in the same open fearless manner. She had always felt that any remark on her personal appearance was an impertinence; now she had to endure undisguised admiration from these outspoken men. 