Mrs. Halliburton's Troubles. Henry Wood

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СКАЧАТЬ who employ the point have it done in private."

      "Who does it here?" exclaimed Jane.

      "I do," said Patience, laughing. "Did thee think I should be like the fine ladies, ashamed to put my hand to it? I and James Meeking's wife do all that is at present being done for the Ashley manufactory. But now, look thee. Samuel Lynn was saying only last night, that they must search out for some other hand who would be trustworthy, for they want more of the work done. It is easy to learn, and I know they would give it thee. It is a little better paid than the other work, too. Sit thee down and try it."

      Patience fixed the back of the glove in the pretty little square machine, took the needle—a peculiar one—and showed how it was to be done. Jane, in a glow of delight, accomplished some stitches readily.

      "I see thee would be handy at it," said Patience. "Thee can take the machine indoors to-day and practise. I will give thee a piece of old leather to exercise upon. In two or three days thee may be quite perfect. I do not work very much at it myself, at which Samuel Lynn grumbles. It is all my own profit, what I earn, so that he has no selfish motive in urging me to work, except that they want more of it done. But I have my household matters to attend to, and Anna takes up my time. I get enough for my clothes, and that is all I care for."

      "I know I could do it! I could do it well, Patience."

      "Then I am sure thee may have it to do. They will supply thee with a machine, and Samuel Lynn will bring thy work home and take it back again, as he does mine. He–"

      William was bursting in upon them with a beaming face. "Mamma, make haste home. Two ladies are asking to see the rooms."

      Jane hurried in. In the parlour sat a pleasant-looking old lady in a large black silk bonnet. The other, smarter, younger (but she must have been forty at least), and very cross-looking, wore a Leghorn bonnet with green and scarlet bows. She was the old lady's companion, housekeeper, servant, all combined in one, as Jane found afterwards.

      "You have lodgings to let, ma'am," said the old lady. "Can we see them?"

      "This is the sitting-room," Jane was beginning; but she was interrupted by the smart one in a snappish tone.

      "This the sitting-room! Do you call this furnished?"

      "Don't be hasty, Dobbs," rebuked her mistress. "Hear what the lady has to say."

      "The furniture is homely, certainly," acknowledged Jane. "But it is new and clean. That is a most comfortable sofa. The bedrooms are above."

      The old lady said she would see them, and they proceeded upstairs. Dobbs put her head into one room, and withdrew it with a shriek. "This room has no bedside carpets."

      "I am sorry to say that I have no bedside carpets at present," said Jane, feeling all the discouragement of the avowal. "I will get some as soon as I possibly can, if any one taking the rooms will kindly do without them for a little while."

      "Perhaps we might, Dobbs," suggested the old lady, who appeared to be of an accommodating, easy nature; readily satisfied.

      "Begging your pardon, ma'am, you'll do nothing of the sort," returned Dobbs. "We should have you doubled up with cramp, if you clapped your feet on to a cold floor. I am not going to do it."

      "I never do have cramp, Dobbs."

      "Which is no reason, ma'am, why you never should," authoritatively returned Dobbs.

      "What a lovely view from these back windows!" exclaimed the old lady. "Dobbs, do you see the Malvern Hills?"

      "We don't eat and drink views," testily responded Dobbs.

      "They are pleasant to look at though," said her mistress. "I like these rooms. Is there a closet, ma'am, or small apartment that we could have for our trunks, if we came?"

      "We are not coming," interrupted Dobbs, before Jane could answer. "Carpetless floors won't suit us, ma'am."

      "There is a closet here, over the entrance," said Jane to the old lady, as she opened the door. "Our own boxes are in it now, but I can have them moved upstairs."

      "So there's a cock-loft, is there?" put in Dobbs.

      "A what?" cried Jane, who had never heard the word. "There is nothing upstairs but an attic. A garret, as it is called here."

      "Yes," burst forth Dobbs, "it is called a garret by them that want to be fine. Cock-loft is good enough for us decent folk: we've never called it anything else. Who sleeps up there?" she summarily demanded.

      "My little boys. This was their room, but I have put them upstairs that I may let this one."

      "There ma'am!" said Dobbs, triumphantly, as she turned to her mistress. "You'll believe me another time, I hope! I told you I knew there was a pack of children. One of 'em opened the door to us."

      "Perhaps they are quiet children," said the old lady, who had been so long used to the grumbling and domineering of Dobbs, that she took it as a matter of course.

      "They are, indeed," said Jane, "quiet, good children. I will answer for it that they will not disturb you in any way."

      "I should like to see the kitchen, ma'am," said the old lady.

      "We only want the use of it," snapped Dobbs. "Our kitchen fire goes out after dinner, and I boil the kettle for tea in the parlour."

      "Would attendance be required?" asked Jane of the old lady.

      "No, it wouldn't," answered Dobbs, in the same tart tone. "I wait upon my missis, and I wait upon myself, and we have a woman in to do the cleaning, and the washing goes out."

      The answer gave Jane great relief. Attending upon lodgers had been a dubious prospect in more respects than one.

      "It's a very good kitchen," said the old lady, as they went in, and she turned round in it.

      "I'll be bound it smokes," said Dobbs.

      "No, it does not," replied Jane.

      "Where's the coalhouse?" asked Dobbs. "Is there two?"

      "Only one," said Jane. "It is at the back of the kitchen."

      "Then—if we did come—where could our coal be put?" fiercely demanded Dobbs. "I must have my coalhouse to myself, with a lock and key. I don't want the house's fires supplied from my missis's coal."

      Jane's cheeks flushed as she turned to the old lady. "Allow me to assure you that your property—of whatever nature it may be—will be perfectly sacred in this house. Whether locked up or not, it will be left untouched by me and mine."

      "To be sure, ma'am," pleasantly returned the old lady. "I'm not afraid. You must not mind what Dobbs says: she means nothing."

      "And our safe for meat and butter," proceeded that undaunted functionary. "Is there a key to it?"

      "And now about the rent?" said the old lady, giving Jane no time to answer that there was a key.

      Jane hesitated. And then, with a flush, asked twenty shillings a week.

      "My conscience!" uttered Dobbs. "Twenty shillings a week. And us finding spoons and linen!"

      "Dobbs," said the old lady. "I don't see СКАЧАТЬ