together, and if ever we did have a holiday, we
spent it together. And now we are getting old, just think of it! I am
sixty-five, isn't it terrible? They always used to call us 'the girls'
when mother, father and my brothers were alive, but they have all
gone--not one of them left. But we 'girls' are left, and now we are
getting old--sixty-five--isn't it terrible? We ought to be ashamed of
it, I suppose, but we are not, are we, dear? For we are just 'the girls'
to each other, and sometimes I feel as strong and as young as a girl."

"How long have you lived in the top of this four-storey house?" I asked.
"Sixteen years," came the reply. "All alone?" "No, sir, we have been
together." "And your sister, how long has she been paralysed?" "Before
we came to this house." "Does she ever go out?" "Of course she does;
don't I take her out in the bath-chair behind you?" "Can she wash and
dress herself, do her hair, and make herself as clean and tidy as she
is?" "I do it for her."

"But how do you get her down these interminable stairs?" I asked.

"She does that herself, sitting down and going from step to step," she
said, and then added, "but it is hard work for her, and it takes her a
very long time."

"Now tell me," I said, "have you ever had a holiday?" "Yes, we have had
one since my sister became paralysed, and we went to Herne Bay." "Did
you take the bath-chair with you?" "Of course we did; how could she go
without it?" "And you pushed her about Herne Bay, and took her on the
sands in it?" I said. "Of course," she said quite naturally, as if she
was surprised at my question. "Now tell me how much rent do you pay for
these two rooms?" "Seven shillings and sixpence per week; I know it is
too much, but I must have a good window for her, where she can sit and
look out." "How do you do your washing?" "I pay the landlady a shilling
a week to do it." "How long have you worked at umbrella covering?" "Ever
since we left school, both of us; we have never done anything else."
"How long have your parents been dead" "More than forty years," was the
answer.

To every one of the replies made by the younger sister, the paralytic
at the window nodded her head in confirmation as though she would say,
"Quite true, quite true!"

"Forgive me asking so many questions, but I want to understand how you
live; you pay seven-and-six rent, and one shilling for washing every
week; that comes to eight shillings and sixpence before you buy food,
co