Owen Oliver

“ Father has often told me that this is the reason that people run down authors.
"My friends are not people who are in the habit of—er——"
"'Ere's the tea, miss," said Jane, coming in suddenly. "An' the loaf sugar. An' the grocer says will yer be sure an'——"
"That will do, Jane. Put it here, please. How many lumps will you have, Mrs. Cattley?" Jane was beginning again, but I frowned at her so that she went. "Jane is always forgetting to tell me what things have got low."
"Ah!" said Mrs. Cattley. "You can't expect a girl to think of everything!" ”

“ After I had thought the matter over, I made up my mind to save the money out of the housekeeping, by giving up jam and things that are not really necessary; but the boys grumbled dreadfully. Boys want such a lot to eat, and they don't know any better, poor little chaps! ”

“ That woman——!" He kicked the footstool suddenly. "I can't say things about a woman, but——"
"I can." I sat up on the sofa. "She is——"
Father held up his hand. "We should pity her, Molly," he said, "for being—what she is! Anyhow, Cattley begged me to accept a couple of sovereigns and buy it for you. He dared not buy it himself, he said, and he was set on your having it. He is a good man."
"A very, very good man," I said.
"Luckily I had no need to borrow. The Whirlwind sent me a cheque for three tales this morning. So I went to the bazaar this afternoon, and I brought back your doll's dress." ”

“ Boys do not mean to be unkind, but they never think. The shoemaker was very pleasant, and said if I paid for one pair I might owe for the other. I could not expect more than that, because he has a large family, and they are very poor. If we had a lot of money I should like to help them. ”

“ A few days before the bazaar Mrs. Cattley sent a printed circular. It was addressed to father, but I opened it. There was a list in it of "Donors who had given handsome presents." In the list I found: "Mr. and Miss Marchant."
I really did not know what to do, so I consulted Jane. Jane is not much use to consult, but Mrs. Serplis was not well, and I felt I must talk to somebody.
"Yer carn't give nothink, w'en yer ain't got nothink to give," Jane said, when she had nearly bitten the end off her apron.
"You always put things so clearly!" I told her. ”

“ She stared at me again. "Lie down on the sofa, Miss Molly," she suggested, "an' let me bring yer some tea. It'll do yer 'ead good. Yer know I didn't mean nothink, an'—there! there! "
"If Jane does silly things sometimes, she never means any harm. That is why I like her, and will not let the boys tease her about her hair. ”

“ Well, yer'll 'ave to do it out of the 'ousekeepin'."
I shook my head.
"Wot does them boys want with treacle, an' suet puddings, an'——"
"Oh, Jane! They must have something, poor little fellows."
"Greedy little pigs, I call 'em!" Jane does not get on with the boys, because they say her hair is red. It is not red really, but carroty. ”