“Well Delia deer” ses she meekly, “If you _can_ make aven hash out of—nothing—c-cudent you just cuvver it over wid mashed pertaters and brown it in the uvven? It tastes diffruntly that way.” “I’ll see about it” ses I. “O Delia!” ses Miss Claire, “be nice or I don’t see how I’ll dare to ask a speshul favour of you.” “Favour is it?” ses I toorning upon her. She roon ap to me, and befure I can shpake anuther word, shes got her arms about me. “Now lissen deer” ses she. “I’ve finished me floury hidge and this afternoon I must shtart on the beds. _You_ do the digging for me like an angel” ses she. “Digging is it? Do you tak me for——” “Please, please” ses she. “It depinds intirely on how the loonch goes” ses I gruffly. “Now raymimber not wan ward of crittersickem will I be heering to.” “Not wan word” ses she. After she had gone I dischuvvered that there was’nt a speck of tea in the house and exactly three coffee beens oanly. I wint upshstairs speshully to infarm Miss Claire. “Be careful now” ses I “to ignoar the subject. Lit your gests think ye’ve forgotten the biverage.” All wint well for loonch, till Mr. James, soospecting the thruth, ondertook to refer to me hash as “patty de 4 grass a la Delia” a dish ses he of our Delia’s own invinshun. I guv wan look at Miss Claire, and she changed the subject. Thin Mrs. Wolley asked the lady which she wud have—coffee or tee, and before the unforchnit craychure cud answer I spoke up at wance: “Ye’ll get neyther” ses I. Miss Claire at wance requisted me to bring on sum more “snow hash.” Wid that me last bit of payshunce wint, for theres not anuther speck of the stuff to be had. “Do ye think” ses I “that wan can of potted ham will feed a large family to more than wan sarve a peece?” “Potted ham!” ses Mr. James, forgitting himself and the company. “Potted ham!” ses I, “for its no meet in the house at all we’re after having, and shure the potted stuff is good enuff for you.” Wid that I wint into the pantry and got the can and tuk it into the dining-room and showed it to the silent family. “Is it misdoubting me word ye are” ses I. “Then see for yersilves.” And I showed them the can wid its pretty ligind: “Guvvymint inspeckshun.” Mr. James got up and left the room. Mr. Wolley, groonting followed. “Excuse me!” ses I and walked out also. Felling a bit sorry for the unforchnit family I got riddy a foine dinner, and was after rolling me pie paste when Miss Claire cum in and coxed me into going wid her to the gardin. She put me to wark digging a hole in the cinter of the illygunt lon, frish cut by Mr. James. “The boys have gone bathing” ses she, “papa’s out driving and mama’s aslape. Nows our chance. O Delia how forchnit it is our gests didn’t stay for dinner too.” Thin she left me, and wint over to her floury hidge, whare she neels down and looks at the airth. All of a sudden she guv a little cry: “Cum quick Delia!” Ses she “Cum quick.”