nd sprang up, struggling with the
shawl which was still wrapped about her head. Free of this, she
looked about her in a dazed way, trying to rouse herself and collect
her wits. It was not yet daylight, of course, and the lighted lamp
stood on the table in the midst of the dirty dishes just as it had
the night before; her stepmother too--her hair and dress and whole
appearance were exactly as they had been the night before, the only
difference being that she seemed, if anything, less agreeable.

"Wake up! wake up!" she called sharply again. "I want you to make
yourself useful, not to be giving me more trouble. Get on your
things, then light the fire as quick as you can--no, I'll light the
fire to-day, because your father can't bear to be kept waiting, but I
shall look to you to do it other mornings, and to get up without
being called, too."

"Yes," said Jessie dutifully, "I hope I shall be able to wake up."
She was so sleepy at the moment that she could scarcely stand, or see
to get into her garments. She looked around her for a place where
she could wash. Cold water would help her to wake up, perhaps.
It was really painful to be so terribly sleepy.

"Please, where can I wash?" she asked at last. "I--I can't wake--up;
I--I--" and she was asleep again. Her stepmother's sharp voice soon
roused her, though.

"A place to wash in!" she snapped crossly. "Why, you must wait until
some of them have gone out, then you can go to one of the bedrooms,
unless you'd like to wash at the tap, out there," pointing to the
scullery; "there's a dipper there you can use."

Jessie gladly accepted the last offer. She was longing to feel the
freshness of cold water on her aching head and heavy eyes, and her
hot face, and she groped her way out to the scullery.

It was lighted by a candle only, but even so Jessie could see the
untidy muddle of everything. The sink by the tap was crowded with
pots and pans and dirty dishes, and so was the table and the dirty
floor. Where was she to wash, and where was the dipper? She looked
around her hopelessly. She was so heavy with sleep she could hardly
see, so aching in every limb she could scarcely stand; and the sight
of the miserable place, and the close smell of it, made her feel
positively sick and ill.

She did not dare, though, trouble her stepmother any further, she had
to act for herself; so she looked about her, first of all for the
dipper, and presently saw it standing, full