e was some
darning in the tutor's socks, but you give away half-a-dozen pair last
Monday, sir, as hadn't a darn in 'em no bigger than a pea."

I think it was the allusion to "giving away" that suggested an idea to
my father in his perplexity for employing Nurse Bundle.

"Stay," he exclaimed, "Mrs. Bundle, there is a way in which you could
be of the greatest service to me. I often feel that the loss of a lady
at the head of my household must be especially felt among the poor
people around us--additionally so, as Mr. Andrewes is not married, and
there is no lady either at the Rectory or here to visit the sick and
encourage the mothers and children. I fear that when I do anything for
them it is often in a wrong way, or for wrong objects."

"Well, sir," said Mrs. Bundle, an old grievance rushing to her mind,
"I had thought myself of making so bold as to speak to you about that
there Tommy Masden as you give half-crowns to, as tells you one big
lie on the top of another, and his father drinks every penny he earns,
and his mother at the back-door all along for scraps, and throwed the
Christmas soup to the pig, and said they wasn't come to the workus
yet; and a coat as good as new of yours, sir, hanging out of the door
of the pawnshop, and giving me such a turn I thought my legs would
never have carried me home, till I found you'd given it to that Tommy,
who won't do a hand's turn for sixpence, but begs at every house in
the parish every week as comes round, and tells everybody, as he tells
yourself, sir, that he never gets nothing from nobody."

"Well, well," said my father, laughing, "you see how I want somebody
to look out the real cases of distress and deserving poverty. Of
course, I must speak to Mr. Andrewes first, Mrs. Bundle, but I am sure
he will be as glad as myself that you should do what we have neither
of us a wife to undertake."

I know Nurse Bundle was only too glad to reconcile her honest
conscience to staying at Dacrefield; and I think the allusion to the
lack of a lady head to our household decided her at all risks to
remove that reason for a second Mrs. Dacre. Moreover, the duties
proposed for her suited her tastes to a shade.

Mr. Andrewes was delighted. And thus it came about that, though my
father would have been horrified at the idea of employing a Sister of
Mercy, and though Bible-woman and district visitor were names not
familiar in our simple parochial machinery, Mrs. Bundle did the work
of all