ys and plum puddings,
and everything good at Christmas time, and seem to think that will do
for another year. But the only man who tries to do anything all the
time is Angus McRae. I suppose you know that Lawyer Ed calls him the
Good Samaritan, and this the Jericho Road."

The first house in the dreary row was the turbulent home of Mr.
Cassidy, the gentleman who commanded so much of Lawyer Ed's attention.
Mrs. Cassidy was on the front veranda washing. It was a pastime she
seldom indulged in, for there was never much water in the old leaky
rain barrel at the corner of the house. For while Willow Lane had
water, water everywhere, the inhabitants had not any drop in which to
wash themselves. But the overflowing rain-barrels had tempted Judy
to-day, and so her little figure was bobbing up and down over the
washboard like a play Judy in a show. She was scrubbing her own
clothes, but not her husband's, for Mr. Cassidy and his wife lived each
an entirely independent life. They occupied different sections of the
house even, and the lady saw to it that her husband's apartments were
the coldest in winter and the hottest in summer. This arrangement had
been held to, ever since the day that Mike thrashed Judy. It had not
been without some provocation, it is true; for though very small, Mrs.
Cassidy had a valiant spirit, and had many and varied ways of
exasperating her husband's inflammable temper. But Lawyer Ed had
appealed to Father Tracy, and that muscular shepherd of his flock had
come down upon Willow Lane and thrashed Mike thoroughly and soundly.
Since then there had been a sort of armed neutrality in the home of the
Cassidys.

"Good day, Mrs. Cassidy," called Madame over the little fence. "It's a
beautiful day after the rain."

"Aw, well now and is that you, Mrs. Adam?" enquired Judy, her little
face peering out of the clouds of steam. "Sure it's yerself would be
bringin' beautiful weather, aven if it was poorin'."

Her voice was soft, her manner ingratiating, there was no sign of the
warrior spirit beneath.

"I hope the rain'll keep off till you get your clothes dry," said
Madame pleasantly, but passing resolutely on, for Mrs. Cassidy showed
sighs of a desire to come to the gate and have a friendly chat. "We
must get out of her way. If she starts to talk we'll never escape,"
she whispered. "Just look at that will you!"

The second place was one where some pitiful attempts at beautifying had
been made.