Mrs. Spunk. She offered me $20 for cooking—2 in family. The wages were too small. I refused it wid contimt. Mrs. Drool. $25. cook and londress. Minnie told her londry work wud spyle me hands. Mrs. Lambkin—8 in family—Cooking. $30. Minnie sed Id be after waring the souls of me feet off rooning oop and down for the 8 of thim. Mrs. Colebin: $30. Cooking and waiting on table. Minnie sed no cook cud be expicted to wate on table orlso. Me arms wud be after aking wid passing the hivvy dishes around. Mrs. Sesick $40. Minnie sed we was above warking for sporting ladies at any price. Any lady, ses Minnie, who paints her hair and eyes and mouth and cheeks, and pads oop her natchurall hooman body isnt a lady at all, but a plane sporting woman. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ CHAPTER VI TWO WEEKS LATER I wint to the Alluyunce to-day for the first time alone. Minnie sed she was after being worn out wid kaping me frum accipting the woorthliss places offered by the pathrons of the Alluyunce. “Ye shud have enuff spunk yersilf by now” ses she. “Don’t be saft. Raymimber ladies is your natrel inimies and beests of prey on poor hilpless sarvant girls.” Miss Flimflam spyed me as soon as I intered, and tuk me by the arm just as I was going to the room upstares. “I’m glad” ses she corjully, “youve cum alone. Your frind was a inkubust” ses she. “Now cum rite along wid me. Theres a swate little lady wants a girl just like you” ses she, “and shes willing to pay you well and treet you” ses she, shmiling, “like a lady.” Wid that she leeds me acrost the room to wan of the sofies, and pushes out wid her foot wan of thim camp stules for the girls to sit upon. “Good marning mam” ses I, lifting up me eyes modestly, and then I give sooch a joomp the dummed stool dubbles up under me and down I cum wid a boomp on the flure. For there sitting looking at me, very much surprysed and horty is Miss Claire hersilf. She smiled a bit whin I picked mesilf up, and ses I: “Why, miss, the site of your pretty face just about flabbergasted me. How are you?” ses I. “Quite well, thank you” ses she, very stiffly. “And your mother?” “—er mother is pretty well” ses she. “Your father.” “Papa is—er—about the same” ses she. “Mr. Johnny?” “Still dy-et-ing, Delia.” “And Mr. James——” “James——well, Delia, nun of us are very well. James _ses_ he has intygischun.” “And what is that?” I inquires cooryissly “—er—a sort of pane in the—er—stummick” ses she. “Is it billy ake yure meening?” She blushes, and ses: “I suppose so.” “Who do be doing the cooking?” I arsks. “Well—er—_I_ tried. Delia don’t you dare to larf” ses she indignantly. “Larf!” ses I, “Why Lor bless your hart darlint, I’d more likely be weeping for the unhappy family.” She leened tords me, Wid her horchure quite gone, and looking as meek and swate as a kitten in thrubble.