244 ^-^^ Real Charlotte. 



dripping that usually adorned the tables, and the sweeping 

 of out-lying potato-skins and cinders into a chasm beneath 

 the disused hothearth. When these things had been done, 

 and Bid Sal and her bare feet had been effaced into some 

 outer purlieu, Norry felt that she was ready to receive the 

 Queen of England if necessary, and awaited the ordering 

 of dinner with her dress let down to its full length, a 

 passably clean apron, and an expression of severe and ex- 

 alted resignation. On the morning now in question 

 Charlotte was standing in her usual position, with her back 

 to the fire and her hands spread behind her to the warmth, 

 scanning with a general's eye the routed remnants of yester- 

 day's dinner, and debating with herself as to the banner 

 under which they should next be rallied. 



*'A curry, I think, Norry," she called out; "plenty of 

 onions and apples in it, and that's all ye want." 



" Oh, musha ! God knows ye have her sickened with 

 yer curries," replied Norry's voice from the larder, ** 'twas 

 ere yestherday ye had the remains of th' Irish stew in curry, 

 an' she didn't ate what'd blind your eye of it. Wasn't 

 Louisa tellin' me ! " 



" And so I'm to order me dinners to please Miss 

 Francie ! " said Charlotte, in tones of surprising toleration ; 

 '* well, ye can make a haricot of it if ye like. Perhaps her 

 ladyship will eat that." 



" Faith 'tis aiqual to me what she ates — " here came a 

 clatter of crockery, and a cat shot like a comet from the 

 larder door, followed by Norry's foot and Norry's blasphemy 

 — " or if she never ate another bit. And where's the carrots 

 to make a haricot ? Bid Sal's afther tellin' me there's ne'er 

 a one in the garden ; but sure, if ye sent Bid Sal to look for 

 salt wather in the say she wouldn't find it ! " 



Miss Mullen laughed approvingly. " There's carrots in 

 plenty; and see here, Norry, you might give her a jam 

 dumpling — use the gooseberry jani that's going bad. I've 

 noticed meself that the child isn't eating, and it won't do to 

 have the people saying we're starving her." 



^* Whoever'!! say that, he wasn't looking at me yestherday, 

 and I makin' the cake for herself and Misther Dysart ! 

 Eight eggs, an' a cupful of sugar and a cupful of butther, 

 and God knows what more went in it, an' the half of me 



