o knew she could not eat a mouthful, "If
you please, I'd rather stay here and rest me if I can have some milk
for Alice by and by."

"Mercy sakes, ain't that child weaned?" asked Mrs. Grundy.

"Ma'am?" said Mary, not exactly understanding her.

"Ain't Ellis weaned, or must we break into the cream a dozen times a
day for her?"

"She has never eaten any thing but milk," said Mary, weeping to think
how different Mrs. Grundy's manner was from her own dear mother's.

"Wall, there's no use blubberin' so. If she must have milk, why she
must, and that's the end on't. But what I want to know is, how folks
as poor as yourn, could afford to buy milk for so big a child."

Mary could have told of many hungry nights which she and Frank had
passed in order that Ella and Alice might be fed, but she made no
remark, and Mrs. Grundy soon left the room saying, "Come down when
you get ready for the milk I s'pose _skim_ will do."

Half an hour after Alice began to cry; and Mary, knowing she was
hungry, laid her upon the bed and started for the milk. She trembled
as she drew near the garret stairs, and trod softly that she might not
be heard, but as she was passing the mysterious door, a voice entirely
different in its tone from the one assumed towards Mrs. Grundy, called
out, "Come here, little dear, and see your Aunty."

Mary's circle of acquaintances was quite as large as she cared to have
it, and quickening her steps, she was soon in the kitchen, where she
found several old ladies still lingering over cups of very weak and
very red looking tea. As she entered the room they all suspended their
operations, and looking hard at her, asked if she were the little
English girl. On being told that she was, three of them returned to
their cups, while one shook her head, saying. "Poor child, I pity
you."

Mary had heard that remark many times, but she knew that the words now
conveyed other meaning than what referred to her face or teeth.

"Where can I find Mrs. Grundy?" she at last ventured to ask.

"Where can you find who?" asked a spiteful looking woman. "Did she
tell you to call her so?"

"She told me that was her name,--yes, ma'am," said Mary.

"Well, _Mrs._ Grundy is in the but'ry," indicating with her elbow the
direction.

Mary had no trouble in finding "the but'ry," but on trying the door,
she found it fastened inside. In answer to her gentle knock a harsh
voice replied, "Who's there?"

"It's I. I've come after the milk fo