ed toast.

"There now," he cried jubilantly, "I'll throuble them to put their
teeth through the whole o' that in a hurry. Isn't that a fine lot? But
I know they does be great aiters within there."

"I'm very thankful to ye, Pat," said Elleney, with a downcast face.

"Sure I'm not meanin' to show disrespect," resumed he, quick to note
her expression, but mistaking its cause. "It's a powerful big family
your a'nt has, first and last, and why wouldn't they ait? I'll tell ye
what, Miss Elleney, I'll just stop here in the chimbley corner, an' if
they does be wantin' any more toast I'll have it made for them afore
you can turn round."

"Oh no, Pat," cried Elleney in alarm. "That wouldn't do at all. Me
a'nt bid me tell ye--me a'nt said--"

"Well, what did she say, miss, dear?" inquired Pat, as she faltered.

"She wasn't best pleased," stammered the girl. "She thought I done
wrong lettin' you help me; she bid me give ye marchin' orders"--catching
at what seemed to her the least offensive manner of conveying her
aunt's behest.

"Well, I can soon march," said Pat, in a slightly offended tone, and
turning even a deeper red than before. "I'll be off out o' this in a
minute."

"Sure ye're not angry with me, Pat?" said Elleney timidly, as she
followed him to the door. "I'm very grateful for all ye done for me."

"To be sure you are," said Rooney, without turning his head, and in
another moment the house door slammed behind him.

Elleney returned somewhat mournfully to the parlour, there to find the
whole family in a state of violent excitement.

Mrs. McNally had just received a letter, which she was clutching fast
with both fat hands; while the seven girls were simultaneously
endeavouring to read its contents over her broad shoulders.

"If yez 'ull sit down like good children," she exclaimed, as Elleney
entered, "I'll read it all out--every word. An' yez 'ull all know as
soon as meself. But ye have me distracted entirely, tormentin' me the
way ye're doin' now. Musha! did anybody ever see such a scrawl as the
man writes?"

"Sure, I can see it plain enough from here," cried Juliana, and with a
sudden deft movement she twitched the document out of her mother's
hands. "I'll read it, m'mah, in half the time you do be thinkin' about
it."

"Very well, me dear, very well," agreed Mrs. McNally resignedly. "Ye
have the best right, afther all. It concerns you more nor me."

Juliana smoothed out the paper, and began to read in