gs;
however, this day she did not seek the old knocker which hung
temptingly overhead, but sheered off and went round to the back of the
house; and there entered at once, and without knocking, upon Miss
Redwood's premises. They were in order; nobody ever saw the parsonage
kitchen otherwise; and Miss Redwood was sitting in front of the stove,
knitting.

"Well, if there ain't Tilly Englefield!" was her salutation.

"May I come in, Miss Redwood?--if you are not busy."

"Suppos'n I _was_ busy, I guess you wouldn't do me no harm, child. Come
right in and sit down, and tell me how's all goin' on at your house.
How's your mother, fust thing?"

"Aunt Candy says she's not any better."

"What does your mother say herself?"

"I have not seen her to-day. Aunt Candy says she is nervous; and she
wants me not to go into her room."

"Who wants you not to go in? Not your mother?"

"No; Aunt Candy."

"I thought so. Well; how do you get along without your sisters, eh?
Have you got a girl, or are you goin' to do without?"

"We are going to do without."

"I don't see how you kin, with your mother sick and wantin' somebody to
tend her."

"Maria and I do what's to be done. Mamma doesn't want us to get a girl."

"Maria and you!" said Miss Redwood, straightening up. "I want to know!
You and Maria. Why, I didn't reckon Maria was a hand at them kind o'
things. What can she do, eh? I want to know! Things is curious in this
world."

"Maria can do a good deal," said Matilda.

"And you can, too, can't ye?" said Miss Redwood, with a benevolent
smile at her little visitor, which meant all love and no criticism.

"I wish I knew how to do more," said Matilda. "I _could_, if I knew
how. That's what I came to ask you, Miss Redwood; won't you tell me?"

"Tell you anything on arth," said the housekeeper. "What do you want to
know, child?"

"I don't know," said Matilda, knitting her brow. "I want to know how to
_manage_."

Miss Redwood's lips twitched, and her knitting needles flew.

"So there ain't no one but you to manage?" she said, at length.

"Aunt Candy tells what is to be for breakfast and dinner. But I want to
know how to _do_ things. What can one do with cold beefsteak, Miss
Redwood?"

"'Tain't good for much," said the housekeeper. "Have you got some on
hand?"

"No. We had, though."

"And what _did_ you do with it?"

"Maria and I put it in the oven to warm; and it spoiled the dish, and
the meat was all dried up; and