hat
she did except for a visit now and then from one of her grandchildren,
"the only one that really likes to come an' stay quiet 'long o'
grandma. She always says quick as she's through her schoolin' she's
goin' to live with me all the time, but she 's very pretty an' has
taking ways," said Mrs. Martin, looking both proud and wistful, "so I
can tell nothing at all about it! Yes, I 've been alone most o' the
time since my Albert was taken away, and that's a great many years; he
had a long time o' failing and sickness first." (Mrs. Todd's foot gave
an impatient scuff on the floor.) "An' I 've always lived right here.
I ain't like the Queen's Majesty, for this is the only palace I 've
got," said the dear old thing, smiling again. "I 'm glad of it too, I
don't like changing about, an' our stations in life are set very
different. I don't require what the Queen does, but sometimes I 've
thought 't was left to me to do the plain things she don't have time
for. I expect she's a beautiful housekeeper, nobody could n't have
done better in her high place, and she's been as good a mother as she
's been a queen."

"I guess she has, Abby," agreed Mrs. Todd instantly. "How was it you
happened to get such a good look at her? I meant to ask you again when
I was here t' other day."

"Our ship was layin' in the Thames, right there above Wapping. We was
dischargin' cargo, and under orders to clear as quick as we could for
Bordeaux to take on an excellent freight o' French goods," explained
Mrs. Martin eagerly. "I heard that the Queen was goin' to a great
review of her army, and would drive out o' her Buckin'ham Palace about
ten o'clock in the mornin', and I run aft to Albert, my husband, and
brother Horace where they was standin' together by the hatchway, and
told 'em they must one of 'em take me. They laughed, I was in such a
hurry, and said they could n't go; and I found they meant it and got
sort of impatient when I began to talk, and I was 'most broken-hearted;
't was all the reason I had for makin' that hard voyage. Albert could
n't help often reproachin' me, for he did so resent the sea, an' I 'd
known how 't would be before we sailed; but I 'd minded nothing all the
way till then, and I just crep' back to my cabin an' begun to cry.
They was disappointed about their ship's cook, an' I 'd cooked for
fo'c's'le an' cabin myself all the way over; 't was dreadful hard work,
specially in rough weather; we 'd had head winds