There were also girls upon the stairs, and girls in the hall below,
besides some girls standing on the sidewalk before the door.
When I made known my business and had paid my fee, one of the
several proprietors who were wandering about the front room went
into the back apartment and soon returned with a tall Irishwoman
with a bony weather-beaten face and a large weather-beaten shawl.
This woman was told to take a chair by my side. Down sat the huge
creature and stared at me. I did not feel very easy under her
scrutinizing gaze, but I bore it as best I could, and immediately
began to ask her all the appropriate questions that I could think
of. Some she answered satisfactorily, and some she didn't answer
at all; but as soon as I made a pause, she began to put questions
herself.
"How many servants do you kape?" she asked.
I answered that we intended to get along with one, and if she
understood her business, I thought she would find her work very
easy, and the place a good one.
She turned sharp upon me and said:
"Have ye stationary wash-tubs?"
I hesitated. I knew our wash-tubs were not stationary, for I had
helped to carry them about. But they might be screwed fast and
made stationary if that was an important object. But, before
making this answer, I thought of the great conveniences for washing
presented by our residence, surrounded as it was, at high tide, by
water.
"Why, we live in a stationary wash-tub," I said, smiling.
Pages:
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46