hich she had been accustomed
during her mother's lifetime. Mary had spoken of it two or three
times, but Miss Grundy only jerked her shoulders, saying, "she guessed
she wasn't going to have such a slush around the house. You can bring
her down," said she, "to the sink, and pump as much water on her as
you like;" so Mary said no more about it until the night of which we
have spoken, and then she determined on making one more effort. But
her heart almost failed her, when, on entering the kitchen, she saw
how the chairs and Miss Grundy's shoulders danced round. She well knew
that something was wrong, and attributing it to Alice's crying, she
awaited in silence for the storm to burst.

"Rind," said Miss Grundy to the girl with crooked feet, who was
washing the milk-pail, "ain't there nary spare room in the dark
passage?"

"None but the wool room, as I know on," was Rind's sullen response.

"Well, wool room 'tis then,--for, as for my being kep' awake night
after night, by a good for nothin' young one, that hain't no business
here, any way, I shan't do it. So (speaking to Mary) you may just pick
up your duds and move this very morning."

"Going to put 'em in with the wool?" asked Rind, suspending
operations, and holding up the pail so that the water ran out of the
spout.

"You shet up," said Miss Grundy, "and wait until you're invited to
speak. Goodness alive, look at that slop! Tip up the pail, quick."

By this time Mary had found courage to say she thought Alice would be
better if she could have her usual bath every morning. This only
increased Miss Grundy's wrath, and she whirled round so swiftly, that
her forehead came in contact with the sharp edge of the cellar door,
which chanced to be open.

"Good," softly whispered Rind, while the shuffling motion of her club
feet showed how pleased she was.

Mary, on the contrary, was really distressed, for she knew the bumped
head would be charged to her, and felt sure that she was further than
ever from the attainment of her object. Still, after Miss Grundy's
forehead was duly bathed in cold water, and bound up in a blue cotton
handkerchief (the lady's favorite color), she again ventured to say,
"Miss Grundy, if you will only let me wash Alice in my room, I'll
promise she shan't disturb you again."

After a great deal of scolding and fretting about whims stuck-up
notions, and paupers trying to be somebody, Miss Grundy, who really
did not care a copper where Alice was w