Polly

slept. It was a very light, modest, and uncertain tap, and it has not the smallest effect upon Helen, who lay in soft slumber, he

t eyes opened wide, two white feet sprang quickly but noiselessly on to the floor, and Polly had opened

and the pan for frying bacon is polished up so as you could 'most see yourself in it. And the egg-saucepan is there all 'andy, and the kettle fizzing and sputtering. I took cook up her breakfast, but she said she didn

ment for me. I'll join you in half an hour at the latest, Maggie, and have lots of saucepans and frying-pans an

ped down the passage. After the iron reign of Mrs

y duck of a young lady. Oh, my word, won't we sp

that on the first morning of her housekeeping she had arisen soon after six o'clock. Her plans were all laid beforehand, and a wonder

watch Firefly over those hot cakes, or she may make herself sick. Poor father and Nell-they'll both be afraid at first that I'm a little too lavish and

wn to say her morning prayer. Helen still slept, and Polly by a sudden impulse chose to kneel by Helen's bed and not her own. She pressed her curly head against the mattress, an

ything in all the wide world to have you back again! I'd live on bread and water

, for Polly's last impulsi

come back?

e was dreaming. Polly be

he most foolish of all her child

sily, and Polly, wiping away some mois

pocket of the apron. Polly was going down stairs to fulfill her great mission; it was impossible for her spirits long to be downcast. The house was deliciously st

-natured of you to come instead of sending that disagreeable friend of yours, Mr. Rain. Oh, how deliciou

looking out on the vegetable garden, Polly found her

d it there, and lit a fire for them, and all Jane has to do when she's ready is to put the kettle on, for the tea's on the table in the small black caddy, so there'll be no worrit

e cook yet. But now"-here the young housekeeper thought it well to put on a severe manner-"I must know what breakfast you have arranged for the servants' hall. It was good-natured of you to think of sav

th thinking. Mother says as I haven't brains as would go on the top of a sixpenny-bit, so what's to be expected of me, Miss. There, the oven's all of a beautiful glow, and 'ull bake lovely.

course you knew you would be in the kitchen with me, and would be sure to come in for bits. Cold bacon, indeed! Poor servants, they're not likely to care for my housekeeping if that is all I provide for t

wider and wider and when the young lady read aloud from

y-"Bacon, eggs, marmalade, sardines.

hat is wasteful

er small handmaid, raised her hand in a

deviled kidneys, scrambled eggs, a dish of kippered herrings, mar

I'll see to the 'all, bless your kind 'eart, Miss Polly, but we'd better get on with the dining-room breakfast, or there'll be nothing ready in anything like time. Will you mix up the cakes, Miss Polly, while I sees to

easier to write out a programme upstairs at one's leisure in the pleasant morning-room than to carry it out in a hurry, in the hot kitchen, par

ng to have rooms so hot as this," said the young

-room, Miss? Why, dear me, your cheeks has peonyed up wonderful. You're new to it yet, Miss, but you'll soon take it quiet-like. Cold bacon is a very nice break

and cross. "I wish you would not talk so much, Maggie,"

r is it a cream cake, or is it a butter-and-egg cake? I'll bring you

ally thought you knew something of cooking. I just want hot cakes. I don't care what kind they are; oh, I suppos

ff with a dubious look on her face

ut she don't know nothing. It's lucky we in the 'all is to have the cold bacon. I don't know how to ma

door. Then she uttered a loud and pier

Cook's off, and the key of the store-room in her pocket. There's nothing for

osy, little fa

e-room herself. Alas! only to peep through the key-hole, for the inhosp